Making fruits and vegetables safer in West Virginia
Official title: Path B Implementation of a State Program in West Virginia to Enhance Produce Safety in Compliance with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule Using Program
Funded at West Virginia State Dept of Agriculture · NIH-11144381 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps West Virginia farmers and shoppers by boosting inspections, training, and rules so produce is less likely to cause food poisoning.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | West Virginia State Dept of Agriculture NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $207,894 |
| NIH project number | 5U2FFD007445-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11144381 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is most relevant to West Virginia residents who grow, sell, or regularly eat fresh produce and to communities served by local farms.
✕Less likely to help
People outside West Virginia or those needing immediate medical care for an active foodborne illness will not directly benefit from this implementation program.
What this research studies
As someone who buys or eats produce in West Virginia, this program aims to make fruits and vegetables safer by strengthening how farms follow the FDA Produce Safety Rule. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture will work with West Virginia State University Extension and West Virginia University to create a statewide farm inventory, deliver education and technical help, and run inspections and compliance actions under FDA authority. Staff will receive training and, if needed, will be prepared to inspect sprout operations and respond to produce-related concerns. The goal is to stop contaminated produce before it reaches your table.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, fewer people in West Virginia could get sick from contaminated fruits and vegetables and consumers may have greater confidence in local produce.
How similar studies have gone: State-level implementations of the FDA Produce Safety Rule have been used elsewhere and are an established public health approach to reducing produce-related illness.
Where this research is happening
-
West Virginia State Dept of Agriculture
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'dell, Andrea — West Virginia State Dept of Agriculture
- Study coordinator: O'dell, Andrea
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.