Egg Regulatory Program Standards (ERPS)
In 2016, FDA awarded a cooperative agreement to two state programs whose charge was to provide recommendations for national Egg Regulatory Program Standards (ERPS). In 2019 a committee comprised of officials from FDA, state agencies, industry and the National Egg Regulatory Officials (NERO) was established to review the recommendations of the awardees. The result of the committee’s collaborative work is the development of the first edition of the ERPS, which will strengthen states’ egg regulatory programs. These program standards reflect an effort in which FDA has been engaged to partner, leverage and empower agencies to move the vision of a nationally Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS).
The ERPS is a critical component in establishing FDA’s IFSS. The ERPS, henceforth also referred to as “program standards,” establishes a uniform foundation for regulatory agencies responsible for oversight of eggs and egg products. When fully implemented, the program standards define a set of best practices of a regulatory system.
Conformance with the program standards requires a regulatory agency to continuously assess, evaluate, and take necessary corrective actions to address gaps. ERPS conformance will facilitate a system of mutual reliance between the FDA and other regulatory agencies and support continuous improvements in regulatory oversight of eggs and egg products throughout the nation. The program standards are comprised of ten standards that establish requirements for the critical elements of a regulatory program designed to protect the public from egg and egg product-related illness, injury, outbreaks and emergencies.
The ERPS areas of focus include:
- Standard 1 - Regulatory Foundation
- Standard 2 - Training Program
- Standard 3 - Inspection Program
- Standard 4 - Inspection Audit Program
- Standard 5 - Egg-related Illness, Outbreak and Emergency Response
- Standard 6 - Compliance and Enforcement Program
- Standard 7 - Outreach Activities
- Standard 8 - Program Resources
- Standard 9 - Program Assessment
- Standard 10 - Laboratory Support
Download the ERPS
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which states have a regulatory agency(s) currently enrolled in the ERPS?
Two flagship state programs are the first to enroll in the ERPS, California and Iowa.
Is funding available to assist states in implementing the ERPS?
States with current egg inspection contracts may enroll in the ERPS contract elective. States will receive $10,000 for completing the contract deliverables.
In addition, the FDA posted a funding opportunity announcement for a cooperative agreement. State egg regulatory programs receiving funds under this cooperative agreement are expected to achieve full conformance by the conclusion of five years, although this cooperative agreement award cycle will be for three. Eligible entities included states and their egg regulatory programs with current FDA egg inspection contracts or those that agree to enter into an egg inspection contract with FDA at the earliest possible date. More information about this and possible future funding can be obtained by viewing the latest Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
What other resources are available to help state programs implement ERPS?
The Office of Partnerships Division of Standards Implementation (OP DSI) is responsible for conducting education and outreach to state programs on the ERPS. Additional resources are included in the ERPS.
State programs also have free access to FoodSHIELD, a web-based communication platform that is supported by FDA to facilitate training, meetings and collaboration among federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and laboratories.