# Path C Georgia Cooperative Agreement to Implement, improve, and sustain the state Produce Safety Program

> **NIH FDA U2F** · GEORGIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE · 2023 · $744,129

## Abstract

Application ID 977350
 Grant Number TBD
 Georgia Department of Agriculture
The FDA's Cooperative Agreement Program for States and Territories to Implement a
 National Produce Safety Program PAR-21-174
 Project Period: 2021-2026
Project Abstract:
The Georgia Department of Agriculture, Produce Safety Division strives to improve upon its
development of a produce safety program established under uniform foundation for the regulatory
oversight of Georgia covered produce commodities described in the FSMA produce safety rule. The
development and implementation of this program has historically and will continue to assist federal and
state programs to better direct their regulatory activities toward reducing foodborne illness hazards as
related to growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption.
Program needs for the cooperative agreement application funding include, but are not limited to:
 • Reassess the State of Georgia’s produce landscape, based on established trends, with a focus
 upon produce covered under the Produce Rule, and available resources to determine the
 necessary size and scope of Georgia’s Produce Safety Program comparatively to previous
requirements.
 • Research alternate means to improve and maintain a verified produce farm inventory.
 • Provide resources for, and invest in, the GDA program's infrastructure.
 • Tailor specific mechanisms to better coordinate with other local, state, territory, and federal
 agencies for produce safety activities.
 • Formulate a multi-year plan to reinforce and enhance the current produce safety system.
 • Refine the current performance measurement system, plan and/or process system to measure
 the progress towards the goals of this cooperative agreement using analytical processes
 including quantitative and qualitative data.
 • Develop and/or provide additional education, outreach, and technical assistance, prioritizing
 farming operations covered by the rule.
 • Develop and/or provide additional education, outreach, and technical assistance to the
 jurisdictional produce safety regulators.
 • Refine, audit, and enact a compliance and enforcement program for applicable produce safety
 regulations at the jurisdictional level.
If fully funded under this cooperative agreement application as outlined in PAR-21-174, in collaboration
with FDA and State stakeholders as part of a National Integrated Food Safety System, The Georgia
Department of Agriculture, Produce Safety Division will continue progressive efforts toward full
implementation and enforcement of the Produce Safety Rule as we continue to develop, improve, and
perfect our program focused on public health and produce safety.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10657503
- **Project number:** 5U2FFD007413-03
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
- **Principal Investigator:** Craig Nielsen
- **Activity code:** U2F (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $744,129
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10657503

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10657503, Path C Georgia Cooperative Agreement to Implement, improve, and sustain the state Produce Safety Program (5U2FFD007413-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10657503. Licensed CC0.

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