NY AGM Food Laboratory - Project Summary/Abstract: The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NY AGM) has an expansive and robust food safety inspection program and a regulatory food safety testing laboratory. The Food Laboratory, a division within the NY AGM, has a mission to provide expert state of the art analytical testing in support of food safety programs in New York State. The Food Laboratory, through food testing, provides support to the divisions of Food Safety and Inspection, and Milk Control and Dairy Services. The Food Laboratory has comprehensive testing programs for microbiological contamination in human food and beverages but not for animal food. This project will provide the opportunity to improve this program. If funded for Microbiology Discipline and Analytical Track 3 – Animal Food Product Testing, the Food Laboratory will maintain resources and personnel necessary for testing 500 samples according to the Food Laboratory Sampling Plan. The laboratory will maintain a quality management system compliant with the managerial and technical requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 and continue to be accredited by a recognized accreditation body. It will participate in proficiency testing or competency exercises on an annual basis to maintain analyst competency. If funded, the following activities will be part of Food Laboratory deliverables: participation in small-scale microbiology method development, method validation research, and matrix extension research; microbiology related training and mentorship to other State laboratories, if requested; FERN membership and participation in conference calls, meetings, and support of FERN activities; key personnel will be sent to an annual LFFM Face-to-Face Meeting; quarterly summaries of all animal food samples collected and analyzed under the Sampling Plan, notification of FDA project manager and technical lead of any presumptive positive samples in a timely manner, full laboratory packages of any violative sample after laboratory report is released in a timely manner, maintenance of a confidentiality agreement with FDA, and participation in at least one FDA requested assignment annually related to animal food. The Food Laboratory will support the integrated food safety system by sharing laboratory results with the FDA when considering enforcement actions for surveillance and regulatory purposes.