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NMDA Awarded 5-year Grant from FDA
NMDA Awarded Five-Year Grant From FDA to Enhance Food Safety Efforts
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NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MSC 3189, P.O Box 30005 - Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8005 Office of the Director/Secretary Dr. I. Miley Gonzalez, Director/Secretary |
| MEDIA ADVISORY | Fax: (575) 646-8120 |
| For Immediate Release | Contact: PIO - Noreen Jaramillo (575) 646-2804 |
| July 7, 2010 |
NMDA Awarded Five-year Grant
From FDA to Enhance Food Safety Efforts
(Las Cruces, NM) New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) was awarded $10,000 grant from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create a Food Protection Task Force (FPTF) in New Mexico.
The $10,000 will be allocated each year totaling $50,000 at the end of five years.
The FPTF Grant Program supports meetings that help foster communication and cooperation among state, local, and tribal food protection, public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies. Preventing harm to consumers is the top priority. The New Mexico FPTF will convene to plan a comprehensive conference to bring all stakeholders together to enhance food safety programs in our state.
NMDA’s Office of Agriculture Biosecurity, in partnership with the Southwest Border Food Safety and Defense Center, works to address industry needs in response to possible agroterrorism and bioterrorism threats (animal and plant diseases) and direct threats to human health from food supply contamination or agricultural chemical or equipment misuses.
“This grant is great news for New Mexicans. It means for the next five years we will have the resources needed to coordinate efforts to keep our food supply safe as well as our residents,” said Dr. Miley Gonzalez, NMDA Director/Secretary. “It’s a responsibility NMDA takes seriously.”
NMDA works to protect the agricultural industry and the food supply through inspections, laboratory diagnostics, and working with the industry to ensure a quality product.
The grants fund major cooperative agreements in four major areas: response, intervention, innovation, and prevention.
New Mexico was selected to receive the $10,000 in FY2010.
