virginia food safety security program
DESCRIPTION
Presented to Virginia Farmers Market Managers to educate on the administration of the Virginia food safety security programTRANSCRIPT
Administering Virginia’s Food Safety & Security Program
Pam Miles, Office of Dairy & FoodsVirginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Food Safety & Security Program
Main LocationRichmond Office
Northern/Central OfficeOliver Hill Bldg.
Tidewater RegionalOffice
Southwest RegionalOffice
• Three Regions
• Three Offices
• One Program Supervisor, Two Regional Supervisors
• Twenty Seven Food Safety Specialists
• Twenty Seven Territories
Our MissionServe the Citizens of the Commonwealth by:• Ensuring a safe, wholesome, and properly labeled
food supply.• Aid in the prevention of and minimize the impact of
food-borne illness outbreaks.• Offer guidance to operators of retail food stores,
home based food operations, food manufacturing establishments, farmers markets and food warehouses.
• To ensure all food processors understand the requirements of and abide by the Virginia Food Laws and related regulations.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Perform regular establishment inspections.
• Investigate consumer complaints.
• Monitor the food supply via sampling for microbiological concerns, pesticide residues, aflatoxins, product standards, and product labeling.
• Respond to food related disasters-carrier wrecks, floods, fires, and power outages.
Types of Firms InspectedRetail Food Industry
– Supermarkets– Grocery & Convenience Stores – Bakeries– Meat Markets– Seafood– Specialty Stores– Drug Stores– Farmers Markets
Types of Firms InspectedProcessed Foods Industry
– All Food Processors (exception dairy products and wholesale meat products)
– Seafood– Bakeries – Beverages– Candy– Bottled Water– Spices– Ethnic Foods – Ice– Sandwich– Fruit and Vegetable Processor (produce, sprouts, etc.)– Alcoholic Beverages (i.e. wineries, breweries)
Types of Firms Inspected
Food Warehouses– Multiple Foods Facilities– Cold & Frozen Storage Facilities– Beverage Facilities– Food Salvage Facilities– Other Facilities
Note: Restaurants and Institutions are Inspected by the Virginia Department of Health, visit: http://www.healthspace.ca/vdh
Food Safety & Security Program Inventory
Approximately 12,000 Food Establishments
–Retail Food Establishments: 9,122
–Food Processors: 1,865
• Home Operations: 816
–Food Warehouses: 700
Inspection ActivitiesInspections• Food Safety
– Risk Based Inspections
– Food Borne Illness Risk Factors
– Sanitation– Food Process
Evaluation– Labeling
• Food Security/Defense – Vulnerability
Assessment– Training
Rapid Response Team (RRT)
• In October 2009, the VDACS Food Safety & Security Program was one of three states awarded a 3-year cooperative agreement to develop and sustain an all Food Hazards Rapid Response Team, encompassing both food and feed protection programs, through a process to further enhance and build the infrastructure of the State’s food protection program.
Rapid Response Team (RRT)• Hired four new positions with the grant funding.
• RRT Coordinator: Matt Ettinger
• Animal Feed Specialist: Debra Hargrave
• Technical Specialist: Heath Gerber
• Manufactured Foods: Christy Brennan
– They review new home operation packages submitted to our office and are available to offer guidance and assistance.
General Assembly Update-2010SB 1108
This bill will amend § 3.2-5130 of the Code of Virginia to exempt from inspection by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) private homes whose residents process and prepare honey produced from hives owned by the residents. The following additional criteria will also have to be met for the individual to qualify for the exemption: i) the individual sells less than 250 gallons of honey annually; ii) the individual does not process and sell other foods, except as allowed by subsection 3.2-5130 A 3; iii) the product complies with the other provisions of the chapter; iv) the product is labeled “PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION. WARNING: Do Not Feed Honey to Infants Under One Year Old”; and v) the individual certifies annually that the provisions of this subdivision are met.
General Assembly Update-2010
SB 920The proposed legislation would amend section 3.2-5130 of the Code of Virginia to add " pickles and other processed vegetables or fruits with a finished equilibrium pH value of 4.6 or lower " to foods that can be prepared in an individual’s home and sold at that home or at a farmer's market without state inspection.
FAILED, Did not make it out of the senate.
General Assembly Update-2010
• Current Annual Fee is $100 – Farmers Market-$100
– Farmers Market Vendors-$100
– Each Farmers Market Booth- $0, They pay the fee at facility where they manufacture their products.
– Proposal to lower fee back to $40, study sliding scale, make no changes.
Questions?
Contact Our Main Office:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services102 Governor StreetRichmond, VA 23219
Pam MilesEmail: [email protected]
Phone: 804-786-3520
Additional Information
• Contact One of Our Offices– Central Office 804-786-3520– Roanoke Regional Office 540-857-7344– Tidewater Regional Office 757-363-3909
• Agency Website www.vdacs.state.va.us