Curtis Griner

• Provide guidance and council to OFS leadership regarding the Grade “A” program to empower office leadership when making critical decisions that will advance FDA’s mission of food safety by developing strategic policy decisions and initiatives. Present OFS leadership with briefing documents regarding current or ongoing issues of food safety, with leadership options, recommendations, and anticipated outcomes. Rigorously and critically reviews all information and resources available to ensure the considerations proposed are well vetted prior to determining a recommended plan of action.
• Fosters working relationships with both internal CFSAN/MMPB team members, OSCP management and field staff, other FDA offices such as OP, CVM, OTED, ONFL as well as other government agencies such as USDA, EPA, State Regulatory Programs, and Industry stakeholders (National Milk Producers Federation and International Dairy Foods Association). Provide rating oversight for Foreign Third-Party certifiers and Foreign Single Service Consultants, this routinely requires travel abroad to ensure our domestic requirements are being properly executed. This ensures that FDA is viewed as an approachable, competent, and valued food safety partner for all stakeholders.
• Represents the interest of the Agency and OFS by publicly speaking when requested or when the office’s strategic initiatives warrant such communications. Examples include but are not limited to Dairy Seminars, National Associations of Dairy Regulatory Officials Conference, National Conference of Interstate Milk Shipments, Dairy Practices Council meetings, 3-A Sanitary Standards Conference, meetings with other agencies such as USDA and EPA.
• Represents the interests of FDA at the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments by serving on NCIMS committees and Councils as the FDA consultant. Shares the responsibility of leading the Agency’s effort in preparation of NCIMS proposal positions with one other National Standard. Develops FDA proposals for consideration by the NCIMS voting delegates for food safety initiatives the Agency has determined warrant or represent a food safety program element that requires addressing to ensure the safest possible milk supply. Works between conferences to support active committees that have assignments of importance to FDA. Examples include, working with the Liaison Committee to align agency posture across commodities related to FSMA evaluation in both Grade “A” and Dual Grade dairy facilities.
• Point of contact for OSCP Milk Specialist when their assessments reveal a significant loss of control related to a required preventative control. As a National Standard, I ultimately make the decision regarding the breadth or scope of continued or elevated regulatory/rating activities based on observations reported by the Milk Specialist and in consultation with the OSCP Branch Managers.
• Provides Cfr and PMO interpretations as required and provide senior level insight for operations field staff when complex equipment or concepts are encountered. Course instructor for mandatory continuing education of field staff and State rating officials. Development of this course is a National Standard responsibility to ensure the content of the course is current, that training content is relevant to the needs of the program and that training achieves superior rating competency for both FDA and State rating officials.
• Reviews Milk Specialist work products such as State Program Evaluations for adequacy, accuracy, and outcome. Ensure corrective action plans when necessary are adequate and appropriate. Track progress of Strategic Action plans until compliance is accomplished.
• Represents OFS’s interests as they relate to strategic initiatives when planning outreach activities such as speaking at Seminars or Conferences. Ensure that strategic goals are meet by collaborating with planning committees to develop agenda items and topics that are support defined OFS food safety initiatives.
• Voting member of the Milk Steering Committee where OFS seeks to collaboratively work with other FDA Offices to ensure the Agency goals and initiatives are harmonized and not competing when under separate management. Representation from OFS, OSCP, OTED, OP and CVM within the working group.
• Key team member actively accessing the appropriateness of a request from New Zealand for Regulatory Program Equivalency. This has been a 12-year FDA effort that the previous assessment team could not complete. This agency decision will rely heavily on the accuracy and quality of the National Standards to ensure whatever recommendation is made is justifiable to all program stakeholders.
• Lead group field exercises for field operations staff to promote and ensure team unity and to facilitate employee development. Careful planning for this exercise is essential to facilitate established goals, carefully choosing the proper locations to challenge the field staff with evaluating compliance in scenarios they may not have been exposed to.
• Continuously and purposefully meets with all levels of OFS and OSCP staff (OFS Senior Science Advisor, Deputy Office Director, DDEMP Division Director, MMPB Chief, OSCP Office Director, OSCP Dairy Branch Managers and OSCP Milk Specialist) to ensure all program needs and goals are addressed as they relate to the success of the Grade “A” IMS Program. Meet with other offices as necessary such as ORP, OIE, ODAR, OC and OCI.
• Strives to meet the needs of all external non-regulatory stakeholders such as representatives of the milk cooperatives and dairy equipment manufacturers or dairy processors. Often assisting with the review of new technology and modern processing concepts that other regulatory stakeholders may not feel comfortable evaluating without CFSAN participation.
• Works with OSCP Branch Managers to develop an annual operations workplan that is appropriate for the available resources and consistent with the agency’s priorities for the program.

• Worked to ensure a properly implemented Grade A dairy program within the states of Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana by providing technical assistance and training to these state partners.
• Conducted FDA Check Ratings of the dairy facilities (dairy farms, dairy plants and single service container manufacturers) within these states.
• Performed triennial state program evaluations of the dairy regulatory programs for the states for which I am assigned.
• Acted as an instructor for Grade A dairy courses offered by the Office of Training and Educational Development nationwide.
• Acted as a subject matter expert at the National Conference of Interstate Milk Shipment by providing insights and experiences to state regulatory voting delegates. I thoughtfully provide input leading up to the NCIMS conferences while FDA is establishing an agency position on proposals being considered.
• Acted as a mentor to the State Rating Officers and State Sampling Surveillance Officers within the states for which I was assigned by providing ongoing in the field training and standardization to ensure these rating officers maintain excellent proficiency in performing their ratings and duties in a manner consistent with the NCIMS Grade“A” program.
• Attended and spoke on behalf of FDA when requested by industry groups and organizations. These include but are not limited to the National Association of Dairy Regulatory Officials, Dairy Producer Associations and Dairy Processing Organizations.
• Provided technical assistance to FDA District CSOs when they encounter dairy related processes, they were unfamiliar with in the field. Assisted District CSOs when requested with understanding dairy processing and HTST/HHST processing equipment.
• Evaluated FSMA compliance within Grade “A” Dairy Plants by reviewing firms Food Safety plans and prerequisite programs. Provided technical assistance regarding FSMA to industry and state regulatory partners in identifying food safety hazards and adequate control strategies for these hazards. Spoke to regulatory and industry processing groups regarding FSMA implementation when requested.
• Performed other duties as assigned, such as, grant reviewer for the OSCP Dairy and Shellfish Grant Program and served as the FDA representative on the Eastern States Dairy Seminar Committee.

Directly managed the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program.

• Directly managed Associates, Managers, Secretary, and Inspectors.
• Advised Division Director, Managers and Inspectors on technical issues by interpreting applicable health and sanitation laws and regulations.
• Coordinated investigative activities between inspection staff, industry, and regulatory partners.
• Reviewed and evaluated request from industry for variance from state laws and/or regulations.
• Coordinated inspection activities to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department’s ability to ensure a safe food supply.
• Advised Agency leadership of problems and/or trends within the Manufactured Food Program.
• Worked closely with Compliance Officer by alerting of compliance issues and working to establish the best form of action to achieve compliance.
• Worked closely with Field Training Officer and Training Coordinator to ensure an adequately trained workforce was being deployed to meet the needs of Georgia's food industry.

Assisted Agency Leadership with projects related to the Food Safety Division:

• Reviewed and evaluated current and proposed State and Federal laws and regulations which may affect State Food Programs including; making appropriate recommendations for rule changes, program guidelines, and methods of enforcement needed.
• Developed or assisted in developing new methods, policies and procedures to further program goals.
• Worked on projects as requested by Agency Leadership including compiling data from other States to help develop guidance documents.

Engaged in outreach activities and attending educational training courses:

• Routinely met with industry and trade partners to ensure the Agency was well positioned to meet the needs and address the concerns of a valued Georgia industry.
• Provided complete and accurate information in a timely manner to the general public, industry personnel, and to other regulatory partners.
• Participated in food safety programs with Federal, State, Local agencies along with association groups, industry and academia in an active manner.
• Planned, developed, and presented relevant material regarding food safety to various consumers, industry, regulatory, and other organizations as requested.

• Established policies necessary to administer the Cooperative State-Public Health/FDA programs for certification of IMS, single service containers, sampling and laboratory procedures according to federal procedures.
• Advised the Dairy Division personnel of programs, standards, ordinances, and enforcement practices necessary to comply with the IMS program as needed.
• Assisted FDA in making “check” ratings of all shippers recommended for publication in the IMS Bulletin to verify compliance with federal requirements.
• Analyzed and compiled Dairy Division records to determine frequency of inspections, laboratory results on products, and enforcement practices to ensure compliance with federal requirements.
• Evaluated procedures, equipment, and handling of samples in accordance with standards set by Laboratory Standards Methods and federal requirements.
• Managed regulatory staff responsible for the oversight of industry sample collection and milk truck tanker inspections programs.

Evaluates department sanitarian personnel performance and enforcement practices:

• Calculated enforcement ratings of dairies and plants assigned to each sanitarian by reviewing Dairy Division records.
• Conducted interviews with each sanitarian concerning their knowledge of the work, interpretation of the ordinance, and personal work habits during each rating period.
• Compiled data and tabulated results of the evaluation to include recommendations for review by senior management.
• Conducted training for department and dairy industry personnel.
• Trained personnel in interpretation of ordinance, equipment specifications, and technical procedures involved in the processing milk and dairy products on a regular basis.
• Trained sample collectors in the collection and handling of samples as required.
• Reviewed equipment, installations, and plans for new construction.
• Reviewed design of new equipment for compliance with PMO and related standards.

• Duties included the inspection of Retail Food Sales Establishments, Food Processing Plants, Dairy Farms, Dairy Processing Plants, Bulk Milk Haulers Samplers, Dairy Plant Samplers, and Bulk Milk Transport Tankers.

• Administered public health programs within the South Central Health District of Georgia.
• Public Health Programs included: On-Site Waste Management Program, Food Service Inspection Program, Rabies Prevention Program, Non-Public Well Water Program, and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.