Concerning: Best Practices for Environmental Assessments of Manufactured Food Facilities and Farms
Whereas, AFDO believes environmental assessments are essential in the investigation of foodborne illness; and
Whereas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed best practices and training related to conducting environmental assessments in retail food establishments; and
Whereas, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) working group has developed best practices for conducting environmental assessments of manufactured food facilities and farms; and
Whereas, to date, best practices for conducting environmental assessment of manufactured food facilities and farms have not been released or provided to state and local government partners; and
Whereas, absent consistent best practices federal, state, and local investigators across the country are not uniformly conducting environmental assessments during or after foodborne illness investigations and other incidents; therefore be it
Resolved, that AFDO request FDA to release for comment the current draft best practices for conducting environmental assessment of manufactured foods facilities and farms or that a working group including FDA, state and local officials be established to review and finalize the unreleased best practices so they may be utilized by federal, state, and local food inspectors/investigators to standardize the approach for conducting environmental assessments.
