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  3. National Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) Programs and Initiatives
  4. Food Protection Task Force (FPTF)
  1. National Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) Programs and Initiatives

Food Protection Task Force (FPTF)

What is a Food Protection Task Force (FPTF) and what is its purpose?

FPTFs consist of regulatory, industry, academia, and consumer groups. These FPTFs create an effective nationwide infrastructure for enhancing outreach, response, integration and information sharing in state, local, and tribal governments.

The FPTF grant is available to state, local, and tribal governments to convene stakeholders in food safety. Meetings funded as part of the FPTF grant aim to foster communication, cooperation, and collaboration which have resulted in:

  • Greater awareness of potential vulnerabilities in our food supply.

  • Creation of foodborne illness prevention programs.

  • New surveillance systems for detecting foodborne illness.

  • The ability to respond more quickly to outbreaks.

Changes in consumer dietary patterns, industry practices, and the U.S. population, combined with an increasingly globalized food supply chain and the emergence of new pathogens and other contaminants pose challenges that require us to continually update our current food protection strategies. Groups like the FPTF will continue to be a critical and effective tool in national efforts to protect public health.

What are the general aims of a FPTF?

  • Provides a forum for all the stakeholders of the food protection system—regulatory agencies, academia, industry, consumers, state legislators, Boards of Health and Agriculture, and other interested parties.

  • Assists in adopting or implementing the FDA Food Code or other food protection regulations.

  • Promotes collaboration and integration between food protection stakeholders which protects public health.

Is funding available to support FPTFs?

The FPTF grant provides up to $10,000 per year to awardee programs to fund meetings and other food safety activities or projects. For more information on this program, please see the previous FOA.

Who are the current awardees?

United States Map displaying 24 FDA funded Food Protection Task Force grant states: AK, AZ, AR, CT, GA, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NC, PA, RI, SC, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV

United States Map displaying 24 FDA funded Food Protection Task Force grant states: AK, AZ, AR, CT, GA, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NC, PA, RI, SC, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV

  • 24 contracts with state government regulatory agencies.
  • 24 states are covered in these contracts.
  • $230K in funding under this grant program.

Coalition of Food Protection Task Forces Best Practices Manual

This document is a tool to provide Food Protection Task Force (FPTF) stakeholders with information to help build, maintain, and continuously improve the quality of their task forces. View the Best Practice Manual (from AFDO.org).

Who do I contact for more information?

General questions can be directed to [email protected].

Specific questions on this program can be directed to the appropriate Office of Partnerships' contact within the Division of Partnership Investments and Agreements. Please visit the Office of Partnerships Contacts webpage to obtain a downloaded version of the staffing roster. 

For more information about Food Protection Task Forces, please visit the Coalition of Food Protection Task Forces website.

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