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NEHA–FDA Retail Program Standards Symposium to Take Place in April
The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will host the 2026 Retail Program Standards Symposium (RPSS), a free, virtual event taking place April 20–22, designed to support and educate retail food safety jurisdictions at the state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) levels.
The theme, “Progress in Motion,” focuses on delivering practical, FDA-aligned insights to help jurisdictions advance and maintain conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS). The three-day event will bring together federal leaders, national experts, and industry peers for interactive sessions centered on collaboration, problem-solving, and continuous improvement in retail food safety.
The Symposium will kick off at 12 P.M. ET on Monday, April 20, with keynote remarks from Erik Mettler, FDA Assistant Commissioner for Integrated Food Safety Systems, and Andre Pierce, Director of FDA’s Office of Retail Food Protection Implementation. Their discussion will highlight the future of retail food safety and the importance of strengthening federal, SLTT, and industry partnerships to build a more unified national system.
Throughout the symposium, attendees will gain actionable guidance and resources to support program development and long-term success, including:
- Guidance on developing a foodborne illness outbreak tabletop exercise
- Support for building and sustaining a Comprehensive Strategic Improvement Plan (CSIP)
- Tools and resources to better understand and meet the Retail Program Standards
- Insights from experts at FDA, SLTT regulatory agencies, the retail food industry, Conference for Food Protection (CFP) Program Standards Committee members, and leaders from the NEHA–National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Mentorship Program.
The 2026 RPSS is open to all retail food regulatory professionals and interested industry food safety professionals, whether they are new to the Retail Program Standards or working to maintain and enhance conformance. It is presented by the NEHA–FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model (RFFM) Grant Program in collaboration with the Conference for Food Protection and funded by FDA under award 3U19FD008288.
Registration is now open. Additional information, including the full agenda and speaker lineup, is available here.
For those unable to attend live, recorded sessions will be made available through MyNEHA at no cost, with continuing education (CE) opportunities offered for eligible participants.
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