FDA hiring 40 officers for Produce Safety Network
The FDA continues to build the Produce Safety Network that will support the implementation of the produce safety rule that became final last November.
Forty new consumer safety officers will be hired this year for domestic and international work that includes inspections, investigations and technical assistance. Applications are now available at usajobs.gov until Aug. 24.
These new consumer safety officers will be part of FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs, with duty locations negotiable after hiring. As produce program experts within a region, they will provide extensive advisory, liaison, and consultative services to the regulated community, state, federal, foreign, tribal, and third-party regulators (i.e., auditors), extension services, and FDA management.
Michael Mahovic, Ph.D., acting chief of the Fresh Produce Branch in FDA’s Division of Produce Safety, explains that the network will provide direct assistance to the people most affected by the produce rule. “Right now, most of our policy experts are in Washington, but that’s not where the farms are,” he said.
This will be the second wave of new hires planned this year by the network to support compliance with the rule mandated by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
The first wave is the hiring of eight experts with backgrounds in science and policy to work in different regions of the country with state public health and agriculture agencies. State officials will be working closely with the farmers who must comply with the new safety regulations. The new consumer safety officers will support those officials with education, outreach and technical assistance. The window for applications for those positions closed July 15, 2015.
The produce rule establishes science-based standards for the growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables. It presents unique challenges, including recognizing regional differences in growing practices. Having regionally based network staff will provide greater opportunities to develop relationships with states and other partners in their regions.
Although the most important compliance dates do not begin until 2017, there is a lot of work ahead to prepare both regulators and the regulated for the advent of the new standards. “Implementation of this rule is an intersection of science and policy. The new hires will be our regional experts, our go-to people for the states,” said Mahovic.
