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USDA's
Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that $275,000
will be awarded to nine states to help educate food animal
producers about production practices that promote food safety.
Through
cooperative agreements, FSIS provides states with funding
and resources to develop state-level animal production food
safety partnerships. FSIS enters into these agreements with
state Departments of Agriculture and/or state animal health
agencies to encourage development of HACCP-compatible animal
production food safety practices, FSIS explained in a release.
“The
partnerships between FSIS and these nine states will further
enhance communication and cooperation and will improve food
safety practices on the farm,” Acting FSIS Administrator
Dr. Barbara Masters said. “These initiatives provide critically
important information to producers about minimizing potentially
dangerous pathogens.”
The
states that will receive funding to support their animal
and egg production food safety programs in 2004 are: Florida,
Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, South Dakota,
Vermont, and West Virginia.
The
funds will support a variety of educational programs and
initiatives, including:
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Demonstrations of best management practices for producers;
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Methods to improve humane handling of livestock;
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Antibiotic residue avoidance, and;
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Compliance with the Food and Drug Administration's ruminant
feed ban.
The
development and implementation of best management practices
to reduce foodborne pathogens before slaughter is one of
the goals outlined in USDA's food safety vision paper, “Enhancing
Public Health: Strategies for the Future.” The science-based
initiatives outlined in the vision document will help FSIS
better understand, predict and prevent microbiological contamination
of meat and poultry products, improving health outcomes
for American families. |
