Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 21 024
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), within the Department of Health and Human Services, offered this discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity to support the continued operation of the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA). The overall aim is practical: strengthen produce safety across the supply chain by giving state and local regulators, produce growers and packers, and extension educators consistent, up-to-date training and outreach on current best practices, FDA guidance, and the regulatory requirements tied to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), especially the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. Clinical trials are not allowed under this award, reflecting that the work is focused on education, training systems, and program evaluation rather than clinical research.
At the center of the project is the maintenance of a standardized training and education program that is available in multiple formats and languages. The program is meant to help both regulators and the produce industry implement the FSMA Produce Safety Rule in day-to-day operations, while also highlighting the public health and environmental value of "co-management" approaches, meaning food safety practices that are coordinated with environmental stewardship goals rather than treated as competing priorities. The opportunity also calls for regular curriculum updates so the PSA training stays aligned not only with the Produce Safety Rule, but also with other FSMA-related rules and guidance documents that affect fresh produce operations.
A major component is maintaining a national (and increasingly international) training delivery network through a Train-the-Trainer model. The funded organization is expected to keep a dedicated Train-the-Trainer curriculum current, sustain a pipeline of qualified instructors, and administer structured quality controls such as a Lead Trainer application and review process. Importantly, these instructor development and approval systems are expected to function in both English and Spanish, reflecting the language needs of large segments of the U.S. produce workforce and training audiences.
Beyond formal classes, the grant emphasizes active education, outreach, and technical assistance for growers and packers, including grower cooperatives. The intent is to improve understanding of the direct role on-farm and packinghouse practices play in preventing foodborne illness. This includes reinforcing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), encouraging preventive controls and risk-reduction steps, and promoting on-farm environmental co-management strategies that help operations meet safety expectations while accounting for natural resources and surrounding ecosystems.
The announcement also places strong weight on ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement. The PSA is expected to run a formal evaluation program that includes data collection and analysis to measure training impact, trainer effectiveness, participant comprehension, and where course content or delivery needs adjustment. This evaluation function is framed as an ongoing research and learning activity that feeds back into course modifications and updated tools. Alongside that, the PSA is expected to keep reviewing its existing outreach and education materials, identify gaps, and develop or refresh resources so stakeholders have what they need to understand and apply the Produce Safety Rule and related best practices.
International engagement is another explicit objective. The PSA is expected to coordinate with FDA and partner organizations to support efforts for international audiences, including international Trainer-of-Trainers events and extending the Lead Trainer application and review processes as appropriate. This reflects the reality that produce supply chains and food safety expectations often cross borders, and that consistent training approaches can help align practices among domestic and international stakeholders connected to U.S. markets.
Finally, the PSA is expected to function as a trusted repository that provides easy access to current scientific and technical information related to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, on-farm produce safety, and co-management. In other words, the alliance is not just delivering classes; it is also serving as a central place where regulators, educators, and industry can reliably find updated guidance, interpretive resources, and practical tools that reflect evolving science and FDA expectations.
Key funding details in the notice include: the opportunity number RFA-FD-21-024, funding instrument type Cooperative Agreement, activity area covering agriculture and consumer protection/food and nutrition, and CFDA number 93.103. The posting was created February 17, 2021, with an original closing date of April 19, 2021. FDA anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $1,600,000. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full eligibility section of the announcement.Apply for RFA FD 21 024
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration in the agriculture, consumer protection, food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Training Alliance to Enhance Produce Safety and FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Compliance (U2F) Clinical Trial Not Allowed" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 17, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 19, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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