# Planning, development, and implementation of a produce safety program in Arkansas.

> **NIH FDA U18** · ARKANSAS STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE · 2020 · $490,692

## Abstract

AR PAR-16-137
Project Summary/Abstract
The Arkansas Agriculture Department is applying for funding through Funding Opportunity PAR-16-137,
Competition AB, to plan, develop, and implement a produce safety program in Arkansas to implement
the FDA Produce Safety Rule to minimize the risk of serious adverse health consequences or death from
consumption of contaminated produce. The Arkansas Agriculture Department intends to seek the
adoption of the FDA Produce Safety Rule in its entirety.
In Year 1 of the grant, the Arkansas Agriculture Department will work with all appropriate state and
federal agencies and other organizations to: assess existing and needed resources; determine
infrastructure, organizational and personnel resources needs; and develop a multi-year strategy for the
program. The agency and its partners will identify the type and location of commodities grown in the
state and capture all farm inventory data in an electronic system that allows sharing with regulatory
partners. Arkansas Agriculture Department staff also will secure all necessary legislative and regulatory
authority and begin hiring needed personnel identified in the assessment.
Funding in Year 2 of the grant will be used to develop and provide education, outreach, and technical
assistance to producers and regulators utilizing FDA sanctioned materials. The Arkansas Agriculture
Department will enter into a sub-grant agreement with the University of Arkansas, Division of
Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service (Extension) for this work. In Year 2, the Arkansas Agriculture
Department will develop and implement an On-Farm Advisory Review program. An inspectional
program also will be researched, designed, and implemented in Year 2.
In Years 3, 4, and 5 of the grant, the Arkansas Agriculture Department will continue to work of the
objectives started in previous years if the requirements of a specific goal have not been met. The
inspectional program will continue and expand as new producers enter the industry. The Arkansas
Agriculture Department will assess and evaluate all processes and progress toward program goals to
identify if changes or improvements are needed. Best practices will be identified and incorporated.
Extension will continue all outreach, education, and technical assistance efforts, and action will be taken
to ensure all regulatory staff remain fully trained on the Produce Safety Rule requirements.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9966748
- **Project number:** 5U18FD005918-05
- **Recipient organization:** ARKANSAS STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
- **Principal Investigator:** Mark Stoll
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $490,692
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-05 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9966748

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9966748, Planning, development, and implementation of a produce safety program in Arkansas. (5U18FD005918-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9966748. Licensed CC0.

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