Project Summary/Abstract
Project Title: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Produce Safety
Program Implementation and Maintenance Path C
Project Description: Michigan intends to further develop a regulatory program focused on
quality and national consistency, with a significant focus on providing education, outreach and
technical assistance to drive compliance with the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule
(PSR) and collaboration with local, state and federal partners to ensure support of an Integrated
Food Safety System. Michigan will follow Path C. On March 26, 2018, 21 CFR Part 112 was
adopted into state law by direct adoption into the Michigan Food Law (MFL) in its entirety,
providing Michigan authority to conduct PSR inspection and enforcement activity under state
authority. No additional action is required to maintain authority. A copy of the MFL can be found
at: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(cwswd0lslw1vltk3aprirein))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-act-92-
of-2000.pdf
Michigan will not be conducting sprout inspections under Subpart M of the Produce Safety Rule
under PAR-21-174.
Project Goals: Under this Cooperative Agreement Program (CAP), MDARD will further develop
a regulatory program that is focused on quality and national consistency with a focus on
prioritizing farm operations covered by the Produce Safety Rule. MDARD will develop all
aspects of the produce safety program upon the belief that education, outreach and technical
assistance are critical to ensuring adoption of Produce Safety Rule compliant growing,
harvesting, packing, and holding practices and driving high rates of compliance, with the primary
goal of protecting the public health.
Expected Outcomes and Objectives: MDARD will maintain the necessary infrastructure to
support a produce safety program in Michigan, provide education, outreach and technical
assistance to growers through collaboration with education partners, develop a farm inventory of
all produce farms with produce sales in Michigan, conduct inspections under state authority to
assess grower compliance with the PSR, maintain a compliance and enforcement program to
support PSR Inspections, and ensure effective response to produce related events.
Budget: Requested funding includes $1,160,000 for year one and $1,385,000 for years two
through five for a total of $6,700,000 for the July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026 project period.
