USDA-NIFA announces the Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grant Program

The Food Safety Outreach Program will complement and expand the fiscal year 2015 national infrastructure established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration's National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program.

The program will focus on the delivery of customized training to target audiences. To this end, grant proposals will be solicited from local communities, to include those from community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, food hubs, farm cooperatives, and other local groups.  Awardees will address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. NIFA anticipates the size and capabilities of applicants will vary widely, so it is seeking proposals for three levels of awards:

• Pilot Projects (not to exceed $50,000 each).
• Community Outreach Projects (not to exceed $150,000 each).
• Multistate Education and Training Projects (not to exceed $400,000 each).

NIFA will host a webinar for potential applicants to the Food Safety Outreach Program on April 19, 2016 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. EST.

The full Request for Application can be found here.