The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) has announced its new Food Safety Regulatory Professional Credential Series exclusively to local, state, tribal, territorial and federal regulators. Through the program, food safety regulatory professionals can be recognized for their mastery of core competencies and skills based upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s National Curriculum Standards (FDA’s NCS).

NCS identifies the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attitudes or attributes for conducting specific job activities or tasks, as well as expected levels of performance. It identifies what training needs to be accomplished and which conditions are necessary for food safety professionals to be successful. Like NCS, AFDO’s credential series focuses on competency in the skills needed for success in the field.

The tiered program begins with:

• Food Safety Regulator Certification: The only credential available for those not working in the food safety profession, which be used by regulatory organizations as an evaluation tool in hiring entry-level professionals
• Food Foundations Regulator Certification: The first of the series of certifications for those who work in the profession and have completed the Food Safety Regulator Certification.

The series also includes specialized advanced certifications for both manufactured and retail foods. The first two certifications are required before completing the advanced offerings.

• Manufactured Foods Regulator Certification assesses competency in the areas of applying laws and regulations related to the operation of facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods intended for human consumption
• Retail Foods Regulator Certification assesses competency in the areas of applying laws and regulations related to the operation of retail food establishments.

Professional Credential Series can be earned any day, at any time, assessed either in-person or through Live+ proctored testing. Fees for the credential series begin at $245 per assessment.