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  4. Domestic Mutual Reliance
  5. Domestic Mutual Reliance Work in Human and Animal Food East Division 4
  1. Domestic Mutual Reliance

Domestic Mutual Reliance Work in Human and Animal Food East Division 4

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The Division of Human and Animal Food East 4 (HAFE4) encompasses: Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. State counterparts perform contract inspections in both human and animal food facilities.

For more information on Rapid Response Teams, Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards, and other programs, please see FDA and State Counterparts.

Florida

The FDA engages with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to perform contract human food and animal food/feed inspections. The FDA relies on the state’s expertise to perform hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP), Seafood HACCP, current Good Manufacturing Practice and Preventive Controls program areas. State employees enter and inspect under their authority for human food inspections and under FDA authority for animal food/feed inspections, thus maintaining federal credentials. Florida also participates in the Produce Safety Cooperative Agreement.  

In October 2021, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services signed a domestic mutual reliance partnership agreement with the FDA to expand collaboration and commitment to protecting public health, as well as enhance the relationship between the agencies as they work together toward an Integrated Food Safety System.

Areas of Collaboration

  • Utilizing state inspectional data to assist with casework performed
  • Sharing compliance activities
  • Sharing of inspections and investigations data through FDA-Florida proof of process
  • Joint inspections of facilities when needed
  • Sharing of sample analysis to remove violative products from the market
  • Regulatory meetings with the state and the division’s compliance branch to discuss non-compliance of firms and bring firms into voluntary compliance
  • On-the-job training for state inspectors
  • Regulated industry information sharing
  • Product recalls

Additional Resources

Puerto Rico

The FDA engages with the Puerto Rico Department of Health to perform contract human food inspections. The FDA relies on Puerto Rico’s expertise in current good manufacturing practice inspections program. State employees enter and inspect under state authority, thus maintaining federal commissions.  

In May 2023, the FDA announced the signing of a developmental partnership agreement with the Puerto Rico Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO). The agreement will focus on emergency response, partner training, and minimizing duplicative efforts.

Areas of Collaboration

  • Regulatory meetings with the state and the division’s compliance branch to discuss non-compliance of firms and bring firms into voluntary compliance
  • On-the-job training for state inspectors
  • Utilizing state inspectional data to assist with casework performed
  • Sharing compliance activities
  • Joint inspections of facilities when needed

Additional Resources

U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands does not currently perform inspections under FDA contract, though  FDA engages with the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist the division with inspections. The FDA relies on the U.S. Virgin Islands’ expertise in firm inventory, outbreaks, and consumer complaints.  

Areas of Collaboration

  • Joint inspections of facilities when needed
  • Sharing compliance activities
  • Regulated industry information sharing
  • Product recalls

Additional Resources

 

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