GIVEN SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EXPENDITURES AND THE LARGE HUMAN HEALTH BENEFITS AT STAKE, UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF FOOD SAFETY REGULATORY ACTIVITY IS CRUCIAL. THE RESEARCH PROPOSED HERE DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WILL EVALUATE THE CAUSAL EFFECTIVENESS OF FSIS MEAT AND POULTRY MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY USING RIGOROUS ECONOMIC MODELS AND MODERN ECONOMETRIC METHODS. RESULTS WILL DIRECTLY INFORM THE ONGOING POLICY DEBATES ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE NATION'S FOOD SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE. WE EXPLORE THREE RESEARCH THEMES: (1) WE INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY ON COMPLIANCE, AND WHEN AND WHERE IT HAS THE HIGHEST "BANG PER BUCK" (2) WE EXPLORE THE ROLE OF CITIZEN COMPLAINTS IN THE FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM AND EXPLORE THEIR IMPACT ON INSPECTION TASKS AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY. (3) WE EXAMINE HOW INSPECTOR TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AFFECT FOOD SAFETY COMPLIANCE DETERMINATIONS AND HOW INSPECTOR CHARACTERISTICS, SUCH AS EXPERIENCE, AND SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECT COMPLIANCE DETERMINATIONS. WE WILL ADAPT EXISTING MODELS OF DETERRENCE AND INSPECTOR BEHAVIOR TO THE FOOD SAFETY CONTEXT, AND TEST GENERATED HYPOTHESES USING MODERN CAUSAL ECONOMETRIC METHODS.