Project Abstract The efforts undertaken as part of this Cooperative Agreement will further increase the capacity of Wisconsin’s food safety regulatory programs to protect public health and to improve the food safety system. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed the RRT program as a tool to promote uniformity and cooperation among federal, state and local agencies during food related emergencies. Maintaining and improving Wisconsin’s RRT will enhance Wisconsin’s ability to detect, respond and abate human and animal food related emergencies through a coordinated response utilizing the Incident Command System as an organizational structure. The framework provided by the RRT will allow Wisconsin to establish a coordinated response program to reduce hazards in human and animal food firms and markets. Wisconsin first became a volunteer RRT state in 2015. During that time Wisconsin committed itself to laying the groundwork and establishing the partnerships needed to have a successful RRT program, by conducting baseline assessments, identifying and engaging core food safety partners, as well as sending staff the national meetings, trainings, and workgroups. In 2018, Wisconsin was awarded the RRT cooperative and systematically began working through the RRT developmental phases. Wisconsin’s RRT program reached full maturation at the completion of year three of the cooperative agreement and since then has been a fully functioning RRT program. This two-year cooperative agreement will allow Wisconsin to continue its efforts to implement its strategic improvement plan to achieve, maintain and enhance its fully-functioning RRT program. All project goals, milestones, objectives and required deliverables for the RRT cooperative agreement have been incorporated into its Strategic Improvement Plan and annual plan of work. Highlights of planned activities include: • Maintaining and continually improving our emergency response framework through evaluation of RRT responses and identification of continuous improvement projects; • Improving integration and national capacity by recruiting local public health agencies into Information Sharing Agreement - Long-Term Limited Scope Food, Feed and Cosmetics 20.88 Agreement, thus minimizing operational communication barriers; • Gathering and sharing data to support prevention and surveillance by utilizing the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS) process of conducting environmental assessments as well as implementing Dead End Ultra Filtration water sampling techniques; • Communicating RRT impact by seeking out opportunities to share food safety advancements through regional presentations, as well as, journal articles and academic papers.

Project Narrative Several recent high-profile multi-state foodborne illness outbreaks highlighted the need for federal, state, and local food safety agencies to work together to prevent and respond to threats to the nation’s food supply. The Rapid Response Team program is a critical tool for promoting interoperability, consistency, and cooperation between federal and state agencies responsible for protecting the nation’s food supply and public health. The outcome of awarding this cooperative agreement to Wisconsin will advance efforts for a nationally integrated food safety system in Wisconsin.