KANSAS STREAMLINES FOOD INSPECTION PROCESS
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1

The state of Kansas is reorganizing and streamlining its food safety licensing and inspection activities for grocery stores and other licensed food processors and vendors effective October 1, 2004.

The change is the result of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' Executive Reorganization Order 32, issued January 14, which transfers certain food safety functions from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

"Food safety for Kansas consumers will continue to be one of state government's highest priorities," said Roderick L. Bremby, secretary of KDHE. "We're just streamlining the process to be more efficient and to give businesses single points of contact on food safety issues."

With this change, the Kansas Department of Agriculture will begin licensing and inspecting approximately 3,700 Kansas grocery stores, restaurants in grocery stores, food processing plants, mobile ice cream vendors, food vending machines and food vending machine companies/dealers.

"The new duties are a good fit with our department's egg, dairy and meat and poultry food safety inspections," said Adrian Polansky, secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. "The new structure will allow us -- KDA and KDHE -- to use our food safety staff more effectively and allow businesses to license with one state agency instead of two."

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will continue to license and inspect approximately 11,000 Kansas restaurants, school food service operations, senior meal sites, mobile food units and all lodging facilities.

"KDHE will now more closely focus on those consumer food safety issues that typically pose more challenges due to the complex processes in preparation and holding of foods for immediate consumption," said Bremby.

In anticipation of the change, food safety staff from both agencies have spent the last few months working together to ensure a smooth transition. Also, six employee positions will transfer from KDHE to KDA to help round out that agency's food safety staff to accommodate their new responsibilities.

"We've been working diligently to prepare for this transition and we will continue to collaborate after Oct. 1 to ensure the highest standards of food safety are met," said Polansky.

The reorganization of food safety responsibilities outlined in Gov. Sebelius' Executive Reorganization Order 32 was approved by the 2004 Kansas Legislature and expanded upon in Senate Bill 296. Neither action changed Kansas food safety regulations.

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