# Developing a Coordinated Effort within Iowa to Implement an Infrastructure, Education, Technical Assistance, and Inventory Program in Alignment with the FDA's Produce Safety Rule

> **NIH FDA U18** · IOWA DEPT AGRICULTURE/LAND STEWARDSHIP · 2020 · $189,139

## Abstract

Developing a Coordinated Effort within Iowa to Implement an Infrastructure, Education,
Technical Assistance, and Inventory Program in Alignment with the FDA's Produce Safety Rule
Project Description: In March 2016 the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
(IDALS) was made aware of the FDA FOA# PAR-16-137. IDALS established a Produce Safety
Rule steering committee to begin development of a state program that will encourage safe
produce production, and promote compliance with PSR. The state’s program outlined in this
proposal will build upon the work accomplished to date by NASDA, established partnerships
with additional states, associations and stakeholders.
Project Goals: The proposed project will establish a coalition of produce and food safety
experts, from within IDALS and Iowa State University. Steering committee members and sub
awardees will provide the leadership, policy and technical expertise needed to complete
jurisdictional self-assessments, planning, farm inventory, infrastructure development, multi-year
planning, education and outreach and technical assistance, and any needed legislative
research. The goal is compilation of an inventory, assessments needs, training, and a strategic
plan for alignment of state programs and activities with FDA’s PSR.
Expected Outcomes: We believe that the partnerships and plans that will emerge from the
work outlined in this proposal will create a strong and viable approach to safe fresh fruit and
vegetable production in Iowa – leveraged off of the federal-state relationship and the existing
expertise at the state and sub-grantee levels. This will result in a consistent and
successful infrastructure, education, technical assistance, and inventory program.
Project Objectives: 1) Perform a self-assessment and multi-year planning of the state’s
capacity and needs to under the “Competition A” track. Project over five years program needs
including budget needs, research needs, and any needed changes to infrastructure capacities.
2) Identify metrics & develop models for training, technical support/assistance, information
technology, legislative research, and farm inventory. 3) Determine long term goals and
milestones for producers in aligning their farms and facilities with FDA's produce rule and
identifying the resources needed for implementation of the aligned requirements.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9966734
- **Project number:** 5U18FD005890-05
- **Recipient organization:** IOWA DEPT AGRICULTURE/LAND STEWARDSHIP
- **Principal Investigator:** Paul Ovrom
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $189,139
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-05 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9966734

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9966734, Developing a Coordinated Effort within Iowa to Implement an Infrastructure, Education, Technical Assistance, and Inventory Program in Alignment with the FDA's Produce Safety Rule (5U18FD005890-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9966734. Licensed CC0.

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