Typical Program Content

Week 1

  • Welcoming Meetings and Logistical Arrangements
  • Introduction to the SPS Leadership Development Program and Distribution of Training Materials
  • Overview of U.S. System of Government, its Structure and Organizations
  • Overview of U.S. Agriculture and Food Economy
  • Identification and Introduction to U.S. Organizations Responsible for U.S. Implementation of WTO- SPS
  • Overview of the U.S. Food Safety System and the Structures, Roles and Responsibilities of U.S. Government Food Safety Agencies
  • Role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services, in the U.S. Food Safety System, Including Approaches to Food-borne Disease Surveillance, Epidemiology and Risk Communication
  • Roles and Responsibilities of U.S. Government Trade Agencies in Promoting Food Safety and in Helping to Ensure Interagency Coordination

Week 2

  • U.S. Approaches to Meeting its Obligations Under the WTO-SPS Agreement
  • U.S. Participation in International Standard Setting Bodies
  • U.S. Approaches to Standard Setting for Voluntary and Mandatory Standards
  • Technical Workshop on Biotechnology With Focus on Animal Issues
  • Government-Industry Cooperation in SPS Regulation Development

Week 3

  • Details of U.S. SPS Agencies' Programs on Food Safety and Animal and Plant Health
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Programs, Including those housed at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)
  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Programs
  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Programs

Week 4

  • Overview of the Food Safety Inspection Service Regulatory Process
  • Basic Livestock Inspection
  • Poultry Inspection Overview
  • Introduction to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)
  • Overview of Food Safety Regulatory Essentials (FSRE)
  • FSIS Use of Food Safety Assessments

Week 5

Industry-Coordinated Site Visits

Week 6

  • Baseline Surveillance Data Collection
  • Risk Analysis Methodologies and Case Studies
  • Risk Management and Policy Development
  • FSIS National Residue Program (NRP)
  • Microbiological Testing Programs and Standards
  • Overview of FSIS Equivalence (System Certification v. Establishment-by-Establishment
  • Export Certification
  • Import Procedures for Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products into the United States

    • Week 7

    Industry-Coordinated Site Visits

    Week 8

    Wrap-up and Summary Sessions