Food Safety Division field forces

FARM SAFETY PROGRAM This program is overseen by a Program Manager, who is engaged with preparing Georgia's farmers as they strive to meet Food Safety Modernization Act requirements. The Program Manager assists farmers as they implement Good Agricultural Practices (also known as the GAP Program), and assists with general inquiries related to produce growing and packing activities.
ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
The Administration Office includes the Food Safety Division Director, Retail and Manufactured Food Program Managers and support staff, who work at the GDA headquarters in Atlanta. Label reviews, blueprint reviews, and consumer complaints are handled through this office. Food safety managers support the field staff with law or regulation interpretations, and ensure due process in compliance through administrative orders, consent agreements and hearings. Administration acts in conjunction with federal and local agencies, industry associations, and food protection organizations in carrying out its mandated tasks.
Resources & Additional Information:
GDA www.agr.georgia.gov/food-safety FDA www.fda.gov
USDA www.usda.gov Twitter @GDAFoodSafety

ADDITIONAL FOOD SAFETY DIVISION COMPONENTS:
LABELING The GDA reviews product labels for formatting only. The FDA has further labeling requirements for products that travel in interstate commerce.
CERTIFICATES OF FREE SALE The GDA issues Certificates of Free Sale or Sanitary Trade upon request for manufacturing plants and warehouses that are operating and/or storing food products under sanitary conditions.
CONSUMER COMPLAINTS The GDA Complaint Coordinator receives consumer concerns involving unsanitary conditions and/or food handling practices for retail and manufactured food facilities in the state, and helps coordinate the GDA's responsibilities during any complaint investigations that may be related to a foodborne illness. Complaints may be submitted by phone or email.
RECALLS The GDA Recall Coordinator assists in coordinating the GDA's responsibilities during a recall investigation relating to food or feed products made, distributed and/or sold in Georgia. The GDA communicates information out to all stakeholders in Georgia and other states, as needed, during recall events. Consumers may register for recall email alerts on the GDA Food Safety Division website under "Recalls."
RESOURCES & OUTREACH The Food Safety Division staff participate in educational opportunities throughout the year at special events, career/intern fairs, farmers markets, and more. To schedule something in your area, contact the GDA Food Safety Division.
Additional information about each of these components can be found on the GDA's website by visiting the "Food Safety Division" homepage at www.agr.georgia.gov/food-safety and clicking through the various additional pages on the sidebar.

Food Safety Division Field Forces
GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Gary W. Black Commissioner
Food Safety Division 19 Martin Luther King Jr Dr SW Room 306 Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: 404-656-3627 Fax: 404-463-6428 www.agr.georgia.gov Twitter @GDAFoodSafety

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Gary W. Black, Commissioner

FOOD SAFETY DIVISION The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) licenses and inspects food sales establishments in the State of Georgia. This includes establishments that manufacture, sell, and/or store food for consumption primarily off-site. The program is administered by the Food Safety Division, with a mission to ensure the safety of the food supply in Georgia. The Division includes an Administration Office within GDA headquarters in Atlanta; a Retail Food Program with district offices across Georgia; a Manufactured Food Program covering processing plants, warehouses, and dairy facilities; a Farm Safety Program; and a Seafood Safety section.

gating consumer complaints, recalls and tracebacks; and supervising the destruction of products that have been deemed unwholesome in Georgia. This section also checks retail store scanners and tare weights to safeguard consumers from economic fraud. Georgia's Cottage Food Program also falls within this program, for home-based food businesses selling nonhazardous foods directly to the consumer.

The DAIRY SECTION consists of Dairy Supervisors, a Dairy Rating Officer, and a team of Dairy Processing Specialists who inspect dairy farms, dairy plants, frozen dessert plants, milk haulers and milk plants under the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). This includes out-of-state milk products shipped to Georgia.

RETAIL FOOD PROGRAM Retail District Offices are located throughout the state; each has a District Manager and administrative staff whose primary functions are to support the field staff in day-to-day activities and operations. Food Safety Inspectors, or Compliance Specialists, conduct random and unannounced inspections of food sales establishments that are licensed by the GDA, such as retail grocery stores and convenience stores. The inspectors conduct routine inspections, in addition to obtaining product samples for lab analysis; investi-

MANUFACTURED FOOD PROGRAM This program is overseen by the Program Manager and Program Associate. Food Safety Inspectors, or Processing Specialists, conduct random and unannounced inspections of food manufacturing and processing plants in Georgia. Processing Specialists all receive advanced training to ensure they can effectively inspect the various specialized processing operations that they encounter in the field, such as Seafood HACCP and Juice HACCP inspections. The inspectors conduct routine inspections, in addition to obtaining product samples for lab analysis and investigating consumer complaints, recalls and tracebacks related to manufacturing firms in Georgia.

The SEAFOOD SAFETY SECTION consists of a Seafood Safety Officer and Seafood Safety Program Associate, who oversee the standardization of Processing Specialists to conduct National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) inspections. The staff reviews and approves seafood HACCP plans, and coordinates HACCP inspections under a U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) partnership.