Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards
The Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (Retail Program Standards) define what constitutes a highly effective and responsive program for the regulation of foodservice and retail food establishments.
They begin by providing a foundation and system upon which all regulatory programs can build through a continuous improvement process. The Retail Program Standards encourage regulatory agencies to improve and build upon existing programs. Further, they provide a framework designed to accommodate both traditional and emerging approaches to food safety.
The Retail Program Standards are intended to reinforce proper sanitation (good retail practices) and operational and environmental prerequisite programs while encouraging regulatory agencies and industry to focus on the factors that cause and contribute to foodborne illness, with the ultimate goal of reducing the occurrence of those factors. In support of this goal, FDA works cooperatively with our state, local, territorial and tribal partners using a risk-based approach to leverage limited resources. The Retail Program Standards represent an important component of a comprehensive strategic approach to help ensure the safety and security of the food supply at the retail level.
View the 2024 Retail Program Standards
If you have questions about the Retail Program Standards, please contact an FDA Retail Food Specialist.
Who is enrolled?
Listing of Jurisdictions Enrolled in the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards provides information about jurisdictions that have enrolled in the Retail Program Standards. The information is updated on a quarterly basis to reflect new enrollments, as well as to recognize achievements made by current enrollees.
FDA would like to recognize jurisdictions that have made progress in the Retail Program Standards since the previous FDA Retail Food Protection Seminar. Categories for recognitions are as follows:
- Initial or Updated Full Self-Assessment of all Nine Program Standards (SA9)
- Meeting One or More Standards during a current Self-Assessment Cycle
- Meeting All Nine Standards during a current Self-Assessment Cycle
2024 Retail Program Standards Recognition
- Crosswalk on Public Health Accreditation and Retail Program Standards
This document provides an overview of the similarities between the Retail Program Standards and the PHAB accreditation process and details the connections between the criteria that apply within each initiative. The detailed crosswalk provides specific examples of where documentation generated when implementing the Retail Program Standards can be used to satisfy documentation requirements associated with the accreditation process. This document will assist those who pursue conformance with the Retail Program Standards and PHAB Accreditation concurrently, without duplicating resources or effort. - Report: Impact of the NACCHO Retail Program Standards Mentorship Program on Retail Food Regulatory Programs
- Fact Sheet: Accomplishments of the FDA and NACCHO Retail Program Standards Mentorship Program
- Egg Regulatory Program Standards (ERPS)
The Egg Regulatory Program Standards provide a framework for state programs with responsibility for oversight of eggs and egg products. The program standards are designed to integrate the regulatory activities of partner agencies into an efficient and effective process for improving egg safety in the U.S. - Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS)
The feed standards establish a uniform foundation for the design and management of state programs responsible for the regulation of animal feed. - Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS)
The Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards are a set of standards developed by the FDA, with input from state program managers, that can be used by the states as a guide for continuous improvement for state food manufacturing programs. - Produce Regulatory Program Standards (PRPS)
The Produce Regulatory Program Standards (PRPS) establish a uniform foundation for government agencies who have actual or potential regulatory oversight and responsibility over their respective jurisdiction’s farms, produce commodities, and activities covered under the FDA's Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption regulation (aka the Produce Safety Rule) (21 CFR Part 112).
2026 FDA SAVA Workshop – Kansas City, Missouri
The FDA Office of Retail Food Protection is pleased to offer a SAVA Workshop in conjunction with the 2026 NEHA Annual Education Conference (AEC). This workshop supports advancement of the Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards and provides training on the verification audit process. Please note, this SAVA Workshop is only available to state, local, tribal, and territorial retail food regulatory programs.
August 1–3, 2026
Kansas City, Missouri
Registration:
For this workshop individuals can register for this workshop along with their AEC registration. If not attending the AEC, select Workshop Only Registration.
Note: FDA funding is available through NEHA to support participation, and broad attendance is encouraged.
FDA Workshops
- 2026 FDA Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards Self-Assessment and Verification Audit (SA/VA) Workshops
These workshops are designed to provide participants with an overview of the Retail Program Standards criteria and an in-depth understanding of the self-assessment and verification audit processes, worksheets, and forms.
ORAU Courses
- Self Assessment, Verification Audit (SA/VA) Series: Introduction and Administration
The Self-Assessment and Verification Audit Series consist of ten (10) self guided courses which provide relevant information and instruction for retail program enrollment or advancement in conformance with the FDA Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. The completion of this first course in the series is MANDATORY for access to all remaining nine(9) standards courses. All the retail program standard courses are independent self guided courses,. Participants may repeatedly access any or all of the nine retail standard courses as on-demand learning or refresher training. - Self Assessment, Verification Audit (SA/VA) Series Intro and Administration.