Advancing the future of FDA's integrated food safety system training

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration awarded the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) a $750,000 cooperative agreement on September 22, 2025, to deliver an integrated food safety system training program under the Food and Drug Administration Research program (CFDA 93.103).

NEHA will develop and deliver more than 25 FDA-aligned courses annually through instructor-led, virtual, and hybrid formats. The organization will collaborate with FDA and content advisory groups to review and update courses using instructional systems design principles and SMART learning objectives, ensuring content reflects emerging public health priorities, regulatory changes, and adult learning best practices. NEHA will provide full-service logistics support including instructor coordination, learning management system integration, technical facilitation, and post-course evaluation. The recipient will recruit and onboard qualified instructors, provide mentorship, and conduct ongoing performance evaluations while strengthening the Partnership for Regulatory Education and Training (PRET) to enable state, local, tribal, and territorial professionals to deliver FDA courses within their jurisdictions. NEHA will implement longitudinal retention studies to assess how training translates to real-world regulatory application, with findings informing targeted follow-up modules.

The period of performance runs through September 30, 2030. Work is performed in Denver, Colorado. This cooperative agreement supports FDA's Office of Training, Education, and Development in addressing workforce transitions driven by high turnover, a narrowing pipeline of new professionals, and rising expectations for consistent, quality training.

Abstract

The U.S. Retail food regulatory workforce is navigating a period of significant transition, driven by high turnover, a narrowing pipeline of new professionals, evolving technologies, and rising expectations for consistent, high-quality training. In response, the FDA's office of training, education, and development (oted) has established a foundation for a national integrated food safety system (ifss) that is competency-based, performance-driven, and grounded in real-world regulatory practice. The national environmental health association (neha) proposes to build on this foundation by delivering a modern, sustainable training system that expands the reach, quality, and long-term value of FDA's investment. Neha will continue to collaborate with FDA and content advisory groups (cags) to review and update FDA-aligned courses using instructional systems design principles and smart learning objectives. Updates will reflect emerging public health priorities, regulatory changes, and adult learning best practices to ensure content remains relevant and impactful. Annually, neha will deliver more than 25 FDA-aligned courses through instructor-led, virtual, and hybrid formats. Each course will be supported by full-service logistics, including instructor coordination, LMS integration, technical facilitation, and post-course evaluation, ensuring consistency and accessibility across all sessions. To enhance reach and sustainability, neha will recruit and onboard qualified instructors, provide mentorship, and conduct ongoing performance evaluations while also strengthening the partnership for regulatory education and training (pret), enabling sltt professionals to deliver FDA courses within their local jurisdictions. Neha will also implement longitudinal retention studies to evaluate how training translates to real- world application. Insights will inform targeted follow-up modules that reinforce learning, improve performance, and strengthen the sltt regulatory workforce. Neha's commitment extends beyond course delivery to include leadership development, credentialing, and systems-level impact. We support innovation through AI-driven learning pathways, just-in-time training, and retention boosters tailored to learner needs. This proposal not only strengthens FDA's current training systems but reimagines the future of food safety education, delivering high-impact, learner-centered training that protects public health and advances a unified, performance-ready workforce.