Project Summary/Abstract Project Title: Planning and creating a Maryland Produce Safety Program to Implement the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Rule Project Description: Develop a plan to implement the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule in Maryland that includes developing an inventory of regulated produce farms; providing outreach, technical assistance and education to regulated farms; and designing and implementing a compliance program for FDA’s Produce Safety Rule. The Maryland Department of Agriculture and the University of Maryland Extension will collaborate to achieve the goals of this project. Project Goals: The overarching goal of this proposal is to develop a strategic plan to align programs and regulations with the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule to provide effective implementation of a Produce Safety program in Maryland. Specific goals include establishing inventory of covered farms; providing outreach, education and technical assistance to farmers; completing an assessment of Maryland’s regulatory authority for produce safety; assessing and obtaining the resources needed to develop a successful program and implementing the program. Expected Outcomes: The plans and activities outlined in this proposal will create federal-state partnerships and resources to implement an effective produce safety program that is aligned with the FSMA Produce Rule, provides farmers with the knowledge to comply with the rule and results in consistent inspections of farms and a decrease in foodborne illnesses due to produce in Maryland. Project Objectives: 1. Develop and maintain an inventory of produce farms covered under the rule that includes a mechanism to share the data with FDA. 2. Assess current regulations and resources to plan activities (regulatory authority, training, technical support, information technology, laboratory capabilities, and inspection/enforcement/compliance) and obtain the necessary resources to develop a Maryland produce safety program that is aligned with FDA’s Produce Rule. 3. Implement a plan that includes prioritized regulatory oversight of covered farms, inspections, sampling, enforcement, training and technical assistance. Budget: Year one, $500,00.00; Year two, $725,000.00; Year three, $755,00.00; Year four, $770,00.00; Year five, $875,000.00, TOTAL: $3,625,000.00 over five years.