AFDO State Food Safety Resource Survey
2009 Edition
The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) is pleased to announce the completion and availability of the two documents - State Food Safety Resource Survey and Directory of State Regulatory Officials. Copies of both of these publications are available on the AFDO and FDA web sites (www.afdo.org and www.fda.gov).
[View PDF]
The State Food Safety Resource Survey represents a quantitative view of the food safety efforts performed by state and local regulatory agencies during a 12-month period. AFDO had previously conducted this survey in 2001 and 2003, and it greatly helped AFDO in its representation of state food safety programs during testimony in the nation’s capitol, while assessing proposed legislation for federal food safety, and providing information to federal legislators and their staff members who are actively pursuing this legislation. According to AFDO Executive Director, Joseph Corby, “The results of the newest survey could not have come at a better time, as government now considers food safety reform and appears to be headed toward an integrated national food safety system. These results clearly demonstrate the critical importance of including the enormous food safety efforts of state and local government into a national food safety system.” This latest survey compiled by AFDO includes the following staggering numbers:
- Inspections performed – 4,619,256
- Investigations conducted – 55,882
- Samples collected and tested – 394,070
- Recalls coordinated – 1,244
In addition to posting these results on the AFDO and FDA websites, AFDO is preparing survey booklets that contain all the quantitative accounts for reporting agencies. Of the 50 states, 47 participated in this survey.
The Directory of State & Local Officials was last updated approximately 6 years ago and the latest updated version compiled by AFDO includes the contact information of state regulatory officials involved with food, animal feed, animal health, and food defense functions. AFDO will continue to update this document quarterly. [Click here to view the Directory]
AFDO’s Board of Directors believes that both of these efforts are very timely given FDA’s recent pronouncement that they want to work more closely and collaboratively with state and local government officials in order to meet rising food safety challenges. AFDO has long supported the concept of integrating government food safety resources at all levels as an appropriate action and response to food safety concerns. Most recently AFDO has provided testimony on Capitol Hill on this matter and has partnered on a grant with George Washington University to enhance the roles of state and local government agencies in an integrated food safety system.
The Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO) again conducted a survey of state food safety programs in order to capture information regarding the volume and importance of food safety work performed there. The survey is being provided to State Food Safety Program Managers for their completion and submission on behalf of their agency.
The survey is an interactive PDF file which, upon submission, automatically provided the completed fields to AFDO for tabulation.
Note: It is strongly recommended that you update to the latest Adobe Reader software (Adobe Reader 9) before starting the survey.
[View Announcement Letter]
Assistance
General Questions or Assistance on form content or detail, please contact Jim Austin (below) with any questions:
Jim Austin
Technical Grants Administrator
Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
(303) 728-4878
AustinJF10@aol.com
Technical Questions or Assistance on form submission or process, please contact Randy Young (below) with any questions:
Randy Young
Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
(717) 757-2888
ryoung@afdo.org
2001 Survey (50-state participation):
Complete Results [View PDF]
Summary [View PDF]
2003 Update (Partial):
Summary [View PDF]