A total of $5.9 million in grants will allow Duke University to strengthen current efforts to improve global food policy, including food safety. The institution has announced the launch of the World Food Policy Center (WFPC) at the Sanford School of Public Policy.
This endeavor was made possible by funding from a number of sources namely The Duke Endowment ($5 million), The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust ($600,000) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation ($300,000).
According to a statement released by Duke, the World Food Policy Center’s research, educational programming, conferences and policymaker outreach will focus on collaborative problem solving, an approach that is critical and rare in the food policy arena.
Kelly Brownell, dean of the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy and WFPC’s director stated that they are grateful to The Duke Endowment, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust for sharing their vision for cross-cutting improvements to food systems, which can produce profound benefits to human and environmental health.
In terms of food safety, the most necessary efforts, according to Brownell, are centered on genetically modified organisms, food defense, contamination and foodborne bioterrorism.