IFSAC Charter

Related Pages

IFSAC’s charter [PDF – 7 pages] documents and defines IFSAC’s operational process as well as its organizational structure and responsibilities.

IFSAC Operational Process

  • Identify, prioritize, and coordinate cross-cutting analytical needs related to food safety and foodborne illness
  • Identify, develop, and implement specific analytic projects that address needs. Execute identified collaborative projects, with continuous monitoring of data quality and use, analyses, and related research activities.

IFSAC Structure

  • Steering Committee (SC):
    • Consists of two senior members from each agency.
    • Meets regularly to review and prioritize project proposals and deliverables as well as to provide feedback and technical direction on analytical projects.
    • Ensures that sufficient personnel resources are available.
    • Ensures that projects are on track to meet both IFSAC and individual agency needs.
  • Technical Workgroup (TWG):
    • Consists of team members from each agency who are experts in their respective fields, including epidemiology, statistics, food policy, public health, and microbiology, and other disciplines.
    • Forms tri-agency project teams to conduct analyses and report results, and meets regularly to discuss projects, plan project details, and determine next steps.
  • Communications Workgroup (CWG):
    • Consists of at least two people from each agency, including at least one TWG member, and individual agency communication specialists
    • Advises the IFSAC SC and TWG on the development and implementation of communication materials.
    • Coordinates with Agency communications specialists to ensure harmonization of communication materials and messaging.
    • Coordinates with IFSAC project teams to develop communication materials for external audiences, including conference materials, manuscripts, webinars, and press releases, among other materials.
    • Coordinates and responds to media or other external inquires.