USDA/NIFA Updates Request for Applications of Food Safety Challenge Area

(American Meat Institute)

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced modifications to the June 25 Food Safety Challenge Area request for applications (RFA) under the agency’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.  The 2012 and 2013 RFAs have been combined and funding amounts increased.  Letters of intent will now be due September 17, 2012 while the applications will be due December 5, 2012.  Approximately $10 million will available for new awards under the combined 2012/13 Food Safety Challenge RFA.  The modifications will also allow NIFA to establish a new timeline for future RFAs.

The priority areas under the 2012/13 RFA will expand to include effective mitigation strategies for antimicrobial resistance, and improving the safety of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. NIFA encourages applications “to include one or more of the following topic areas:

· Identify and characterize emerging pathogens and/or contaminants, and, if determined to be a food safety threat, identify or develop effective control strategies.

· Develop control strategies for known pathogens and contaminants on previously unrecognized food vehicles or on foods that are not commonly associated with a particular pathogen.”

Details of the RFA are available here.

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