Working with state departments of agriculture, universities and extension programs has given me a front-row seat to how cooperative agreement programs function in practice. To frame this story, I am starting with a few questions.

What Are Cooperative Agreements?

Cooperative agreements are a powerful tool for strengthening the U.S. food safety system. These partnerships between federal agencies and state departments of agriculture bring resources, technical expertise and local knowledge together to protect public health while supporting growers with practical outreach and education.

Unlike one-time grants, cooperative agreements involve shared responsibility, with federal and state agencies collaborating on both program design and delivery. Funding flows from agencies such as the FDA or USDA to states, universities and other partners, who then carry out programs tailored to local needs.

For growers, this means that training, inspections and compliance assistance aren’t just top-down directives, they are implemented by people who understand the crops, challenges and other regional issues.

Why do Cooperative Agreement Programs (CAP) matter to growers?

Two key aspects of the programs include funding for implementing the Produce Safety Rule, conducting outreach and compliance activities. Below are some clear benefits:

• Through the FDA’s State Cooperative Agreement Program, states conduct over 90% of produce safety inspections and lead on-farm readiness reviews (OFRR) efforts.
• State teams work directly with growers to explain Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements, answer questions and offer practical solutions.
• OFRRs are free, voluntary and confidential visits aimed at helping farms assess their readiness for inspections without the pressure of enforcement. They also provide an opportunity for inspector calibration.
• Calibration programs keep inspectors aligned on interpretations of the Produce Safety Rule.
• Development of targeted materials, training workshops and multilingual support to address local crops and conditions.
• Targeted outreach to growers who receive timely updates and invitations to training sessions.
• Improved coordination between the FDA and state agencies regarding inspection scheduling, which avoids duplication.
• More consistency in how FSMA rules are applied across jurisdictions.
• CAPs can provide rapid event response and prevention by allowing coordination among the FDA, local health departments and other partners, addressing public health issues and limiting market disruption.

Have federal fund cuts impacted these programs?

Recent federal funding cuts have prompted several consumer, industry and public health stakeholder groups to urge the Trump Administration to maintain critical funding and staffing for the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CAPs are programs that serve a critical role. Western Growers is hopeful that funding for critical programs is restored with a focus on prevention, education and outreach so that growers can access technical assistance, outreach and education resources to progress toward compliance and continuous improvement to advance produce safety and public health. After all, the premise of all is to maintain safe, accessible and affordable food is a fundamental public health priority and a key component of the Make America Healthy Again platform.

Call to Action: Restore funding for cooperative agreements and drive efficiency and prevention focus toward produce safety. By strengthening state-federal partnerships, we strengthen and invest in produce safety programs. As funding is reassessed, we support keeping these programs strong and sharpening their focus on prevention.