NEARS Support

The National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS) is an online tool from the CDC used by jurisdictions across the United States to track environmental assessments that are conducted as a result of foodborne illness investigations.

CDC NEARS Participants are equipped to:

  • Identify environmental causes of outbreaks in your jurisdiction.
  • Take follow-up action to reduce or prevent future foodborne illness outbreaks.
  • Evaluate your food safety program and make improvements based on established guidelines.
  • Develop or modify program policies or regulations.
  • Focus limited program resources on actions with the highest impact.
  • Help their program meet the Food and Drug Administration’s Retail Food Program Standards (Standard 5).

Explore NEARS

Learn what CDC NEARS has to offer by becoming an Explorer.

NEARS can help you improve your food safety program while contributing to the larger understanding of trends and root causes of outbreaks. Your program can access and use your NEARS data at any time to help you:

  • Identify root causes of outbreaks in your jurisdiction
  • Take follow-up action to reduce or prevent future foodborne illness outbreaks
  • Evaluate your program and make improvements based on established guidelines
  • Develop or modify program policies or regulations
  • Focus limited program resources on actions with the highest impact
  • Meet the Food and Drug Administration's Retail Food Program Standards (Standard 5)

2025 Training & Funding Opportunity

Each year, in partnership with CDC, we bring together all sites participating in CDC NEARS. We are currently accepting applications for a travel scholarship to attend the 2025 CDC NEARS User Training in Atlanta, Georgia, May 13-15, 2025. Food safety program professionals from state, local, tribal, or territorial governmental agencies who are not yet registered with CDC NEARS are eligible to attend.

Annual Training Details

Success Stories & Webinars

Check out these success stories of how participating in CDC NEARS prevented and reduced future outbreaks in communities.

Success Stories