Priorities for the 2016-17 National Coordinated Sampling Programme

Background

We are inviting recommendations for priorities for the 2016-17 National Coordinated Sampling Programme. Since 2003 the FSA has made grants available to UK enforcement authorities to supplement their own targeted, risk-based sampling activities.

This is your opportunity to provide us with suggestions for the 2016/17 food sampling programme. We have already separately contacted a number of organisations that represent enforcement authorities, research institutions, laboratory representatives, food-related businesses and consumer interests.

While the budget for the 2016-17 sampling programme has not yet been confirmed, it is likely to be significantly reduced from previous years so we need to ensure that priorities are justified and that we have a clear rank order. We shall not be including local priorities as a separate category. However, this does not mean that something seen as a priority locally cannot become a national one if the recommendation is made with sufficiently strong justification. Please note that the FSA sampling programme will not include priorities for microbiological testing because, as for 2015-16, they will be covered in a programme led by Public Health England.

We shall collate the recommendations from within the FSA, from other Government departments and from external stakeholders in preparation for meetings to discuss the priorities.

Justifying your recommendation

For information, below is the set of criteria against which all suggestions will be assessed. Please do not recommend the same issues as previous years without giving compelling reasons for doing so.

The attached proforma is designed to collect information for prioritisation in a standard format. It covers, among other things, what the data will be used for, the risks involved and whether enforcement authority sampling is appropriate. All of these aspects will be used to judge the relative priority.

Action and deadline

If you wish to recommend a priority, please return your completed proforma(s) by 5pm Thursday 8 October to samplinggrants@food.gov.uk Please also use that email address if you have any queries.

Final guidance published