A significant, collaborative, and evaluation-based overhaul of food and beverage regulatory oversight is recommended, including:
- Evaluating the current organizational structure of regulatory oversight for the licensing and inspection of food and beverage manufacturing and production.
- Analyzing existing resources within the NH Department of Health and Human Services and the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food, to determine optimal structure to meet the goals mentioned above.
- Restructuring all regulatory authority pertaining to food and beverage manufacturing and production into one department and funding the department accordingly.
- Analyzing the demands and funding needs for food safety inspectors and determining the appropriate amount of responsibilities per inspector or consider outsourcing responsibilities to subcontractors.
- Establishing, housing, and funding an in-state New Hampshire Process Authority Service or setting up a stream- lined process to refund New Hampshire businesses for the costs of utilizing out-of-state services within the department determined by the above analysis.
Craving context? This recommendation is included in the Value-Added Processing & Co-Manufacturing brief, part of the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan.
Read the Value-Added Processing & Co-Manufacturing brief here
