Studies of Foodborne Pathogens in Small Specialty Farms

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) intends to award a Sole Source Firm Fixed Price contract to University of Vermont, UVM Extension, for a project titled "Studies of Foodborne Pathogens in Small Specialty Farms". The purpose of this contract is to acquire scientific services to support the FDA's Office of Applied Microbiology and Technology (OAMT) in evaluating the sources and transmission routes of human pathogens in agricultural environments where fresh produce is grown, harvested, packed, and held for human consumption. The project will involve environmental sampling, laboratory analysis, and data analysis to inform food safety practices aimed at minimizing contamination risks on small specialty farms in the Northeast. The key objectives of the project include: • Conducting environmental sampling at participating farms • Performing laboratory analysis on collected samples • Capturing relevant metadata for each sample • Conveying sample results to participating farms • Coordinating with FDA and academic researchers • Developing a final report and submitting manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals