Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Food Safety & Security Program

Erik Bungo – Field Supervisor

Sabrina Liles – Manufactured Foods Specialist

Agency Mission Statement

We promote the economic growth and development of Virginia agriculture,

encourage environmental stewardship, and provide consumer protection.

VDACS Strategic Goals

Goal #1: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.

Goal #2: Ensure a safe and wholesome food supply.

Goal #3: Provide agricultural and consumer protection services that support economic growth, meet consumer needs and encourage environmental stewardship.

Goal #4: Enhance Agency services and productivity through new technology, e-government applications, work processes and procedures, and training.

Goal #5: Provide services which prevent or minimize the impact of emergency agricultural infestations, animal disease outbreaks, foodborne illness outbreaks, and natural and manmade disasters.

VDACS AFIS Programs• Office of Meat and Poultry Services

– Meat products and animals intended for slaughter– Cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, ratites

• Animal Feed Program– Animal/pet foods and products intended for use in

manufacturing these types of commodities• Office of Dairy and Foods

– Food products and raw ingredients used in the manufacture of food products

Food Safety & Security Program Regional Offices

• One Program Supervisor

• Three Regions/Regional Managers

• Three Field Supervisors

• 22 Food Safety Specialists

VDACS Authority• Food Manufacturing Firms

– GMP based inspection (2818)– Seafood HACCP (70)– Acidified Foods (75)– Juice HACCP (10)– Low acid canned foods (6)

• Retail Food Stores (10,000+)– Grocery, Convenience, Supermarkets, Other

• Food Service Facilities– Less than 15 seats, part of a bakery or other manufacturing

operation• Warehouses (725)• Farmer’s Markets (241)• Home Operations (774)

VDACS Emergency Response

• The Food Safety & Security Program participates in a number of different emergency response efforts with the goal in each being to protect and maintain the safety of the food supply within the Commonwealth

Emergency Response

Emergency Response Situations

• Food borne Illness outbreaks • Hurricanes• Floods• Fires• Vehicle Wrecks (Trucks)• Train Wrecks• Droughts• Power Outages• Chemical Spills• Explosions• Radiological Disasters (Power Plant Breach)• Terrorism

Emergency Response

• Food Safety & Security – Inspection and verification of food products in

affected areas– Food-borne disease surveillance– Coordinate recall and tracing of adulterated

products– Coordinate disposal of contaminated food

products– Provide inspectors and laboratory services to

affected areas

Floods

Fires

Vehicular Accidents

Power Outages

Emergency Policies & Procedures

• VDACS currently has 7 emergency policies & procedures

• Emergency Management– 7.1 State Emergency Operations Center Responsibilities – 7.2 Radiological Emergency Response – 7.3 Response To Foodborne Illness Outbreaks – 7.4 Highly Contagious Livestock or Poultry Disease – 7.5 Plant Pest Emergency– 7.6 Terrorism Consequence Management – 7.7 Food Safety and Security Program Incident Response Plan

Contacting VDACS• Call the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

804-674-2400• The EOC will notify the Emergency Services

Coordinator within the Division of Animal and Food Industry Services

• The Coordinator will contact the appropriate program to respond to the incident

• Food Safety & Security Program contacts– Matt Ettinger: Rapid Response Team Coordinator– Chris Thackston: Field Incident Coordinator

Information for the EOC• Location of the accident• Name and phone number of the appropriate

contact either on scene or in a command center

• Brief description of the incident– Truck wreck involving frozen foods– Truck wreck and fire involving dry food products

• Food Safety & Security Program representative will contact the individual noted by the EOC.

Food Safety & Security Program Information

• Current status of the food products– Still in trailer ?– Trailer compromised food spilled onto ground ?– Food damaged by fire and water used to extinguish ?– Food exposed to fuel or other contaminants ?

• Shipped under refrigeration– Is the refrigeration unit still functional ?– Is the unit capable of maintaining product temperatures ?

• Refrigerated foods: 41o F

Food Safety & Security Program Information

• Best route to access the accident scene– VDACS vehicles currently not equipped with emergency

lighting (amber or white strobe lights)– We have to secure permission from VSP to utilize

shoulders or emergency breaks in the median

• Name and agency of Incident Commander or other on-scene contact

• Special information or requests– Food is all destroyed or contaminated and is being

collected for disposal– Firm responsible for the load is attempting to salvage

product

Food Safety & Security Program Response

• The program representative will discuss the event with the contact provided by the EOC and determine if an inspector will be dispatched to the scene

• Examples of times when VDACS involvement is not required at the scene– Product is naturally denatured: Melted ice cream– Food is clearly contaminated/adulterated and will be destroyed– Company responsible for the load has already made the

decision to discard the product

• If product is to be discarded VDACS will need a location to meet the load so that we can observe the process to insure the food is appropriately denatured

Food Safety & Security Program Response

• If an inspector is dispatched to the scene they will integrate into the response efforts as the requested/required by Incident Command

• Inspector will work with other response personnel to address the safety/security of the food products and to aid in the swift and safe mitigation of the incident

• VDACS personnel can seize the food products • VDACS staff have been provided with ANSI Class III

safety vests and Type II Class E hard hats with reflective stripes.

Matthew R. EttingerRapid Response Team/Manufactured Food Regulatory Program

Standards CoordinatorVirginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

102 Governor StreetRichmond, VA 23219

Office:  (804) 786-1006Mobile:  (804) 912-7348

Fax:  (804) 371-7792matthew.ettinger@vdacs.virginia.gov