Food Supply Security Focus of U of Minn. Grant
After a competitive review process, the Department of
Homeland Security has renewed funding for the University of Minnesota’s
National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD). The anticipated funding is approximately $20
million over six years. NCFPD, led by
the University of Minnesota, is a multi-disciplinary, mission-focused research
and education consortium addressing the real and potentially catastrophic
threat of intentional contamination of the nation’s food supply.
Launched in 2004, NCFPD works as a nationwide, and
international consortium of academic, private sector, and public sector
partners. Its initiatives include developing countermeasures to close
vulnerabilities within the food/agriculture system, devising practical methods
to identify, contain, and recover from intentional contamination events, and
implementing programs of study to develop future expertise in food
defense. NCFPD serves as a neutral
convener of government agencies and the private sector focused on the
development of effective, end-user-supported approaches to reduce
vulnerabilities and enhance supply chain resiliency. Research projects underway include novel
technologies for the real time detection of toxins in foods, tools for
identifying critical infrastructure, modeling systems for use in preparedness
and training, and new approaches to communicate risk to the public before, during
and after a food contamination event.
“This renewed funding
is a clear reflection of the excellent work that our investigators and
stakeholders have done in the past six years and appropriately raises
expectations for even better tools and strategies to protect the food system
moving forward, “said Shaun Kennedy, Director.
The renewed funding from DHS will begin as soon as details are finalized with DHS.
Food supply security, a critical infrastructure, is often second fiddler to smart grid, transportation and telecommunications. There are resources and info on food supply security at: http://www.ncfpd.umn.edu/