CPS Food Safety Funding Grants Increased

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) at the University of California, Davis is increasing the availability of competitive grant funds of up to $3.5 million to address critical food safety issues. The availability of additional funds combines public and private financial commitments to the competitive grant process.

”Leveraging the potential of federal and private funds is allowing the Center for Produce Safety to aggressively invest in food safety research,” said Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, CPS executive director. “The generous support will be used to accelerate research into our industry’s most challenging questions.”

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and CPS recently partnered to develop a competitive grant review process focusing on food safety as part of the department’s specialty block grant program. This partnership leverages the availability of federal funds with private financial commitments.

CPS, as part of the agreement with the department, has issued a request for food-safety grant proposals, will assemble a technical review committee to reviews proposals and will make recommendations for funding to CDFA. The two organizations will collaborate on the announcement and dissemination of research results.

The increase in competitive grant funding up to $3.5 million from $2 million reflects the commitment of public and private sources to enhance food safety. Partners on the competitive grant process include: CDFA; University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources; Almond Board of California; California Melon Research Board/California Cantaloupe Advisory Board; California Pistachio research Board; California Walnut Commission; Florida Tomato Committee; Taylor Farms; and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.