About the Tribal Food Safety Alliance

Enacted in 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) established national standards for how to identify, respond to, and manage food safety risks across the food supply chain. The Tribal Food Safety Alliance offers education, training, and technical assistance for tribal food growers, processors/manufacturers, and ​tribal nations in meeting the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls for Human Foods rule. This Alliance is supported by the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative through a joint partnership with the Intertribal Agriculture Council and University of Arizona Tribal Extension Program, funded by a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Food Safety Training for Indian Country

 
 

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was passed into law in 2011 to further the food safety of produce produced and consumed by the public. Congress tasked the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US Department of Health and Human Services to develop and implement regulations related to FSMA. Included in this is a comprehensive effort to train growers and suppliers such that they meet certification requirements of FSMA. FDA is working with public and private partners to ensure training programs meet the needs of those who must comply with the new FSMA standards, no matter their size, nature, or location. It is important to make sure that those involved in the food supply chain know what training and education resources are available and how to gain access to the trainings.

Understanding and implementing food safety practices is critical to the viability of farm and food processing operations. Produce and processing safety practices may be required by many buyers, as well as federal regulation if the farm is subject to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls for Human Foods rule respectively.

In September 2016, FDA awarded the Indigenous Food and Agricultural Initiative (IFAI) at the University of Arkansas with a cooperative agreement to establish the Native American Tribal Center for Food Safety Outreach, Education, Training and Technical Assistance. As of July 2020, IFAI received another cooperative agreement from FDA to maintain the Tribal Food Safety Alliance facilitating education, training, and outreach on these two FSMA rules. IFAI is cooperating with a wide array of partners, including the Intertribal Agricultural Council and the University of Arizona Tribal Extension Program, to bring a series of webinars and face-to-face certification trainings to tribal food producers, food processors, and food businesses to fulfill requirements of FSMA.

 
 

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Learn more about the Food Safety Modernization Act and the Indigenous Food and Agriculture food safety team.  

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This website was supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $424,456 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit FDA.gov.