# Maintaining Conformance with the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and Advancing an Integrated Food Safety System.

> **NIH FDA U2F** · VERMONT STATE AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES · 2024 · $150,000

## Abstract

VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - FOOD AND LODGING PROGRAM
Flexible Funding Model – Infrastructure Development and Maintenance for State Manufactured
Food Regulatory Programs
Vermont is a small New England state with a population of approximately 625,000 people. The
Vermont food landscape is diverse, with many producers and processors of local products from
farm to table. The Vermont Department of Health (VDH) is the state’s lead agency for public
health policy and advocacy. State regulatory jurisdiction over food producers is shared between
the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and
Markets (VAAFM). In 2008, VDH enrolled in the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program
Standards (MFRPS). Since 2012, MFRPS cooperative agreement funding has been vital for
achieving implementation and conformance with the standards, and has improved the quality
and resources of the overall food safety program. The program maintains a comprehensive
Strategic Plan that includes continued work necessary to maintain conformance with the
standards. VDH is proposing cooperative agreement funding for maintaining conformance with
the 2022 standards. Proposed funding will support the Program Standards Coordinator
responsible for managing the cooperative agreement. Additionally, continued funding for the
Compliance & Enforcement Advisor to advance conformance with Standards 4, and 6. Lastly,
continued funding to support one Public Health Inspector position to complete inspection work
and improve the inspector-to-establishment ratio needed for adequate food safety evaluation
and compliance follow-up (Standards 3, 6, and 8). Training funds will continue to allow
inspection staff to participate in FDA training courses, including regulator training for
Preventive Control rule implementation. Special Project funding is proposed to support
transition to the SAFHER IT solution to advance the Integrated Food Safety System.
1

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10932311
- **Project number:** 5U2FFD008101-02
- **Recipient organization:** VERMONT STATE AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES
- **Principal Investigator:** Elisabeth Wirsing
- **Activity code:** U2F (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $150,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-15 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10932311

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10932311, Maintaining Conformance with the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and Advancing an Integrated Food Safety System. (5U2FFD008101-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10932311. Licensed CC0.

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