The Alliance to Feed the Future, a multi-sector group that includes members of professional societies, commodity groups, food industries and academia, has formed to build understanding and promote the benefits of modern food production, processing and technology.
The alliance, which is currently comprised of representatives for 52 different groups, wants to multiply the effects of members' individual and joint efforts to tell "the true story of modern food production."
“The more consumers understand how their food is produced, the more they can appreciate the role modern agriculture plays in providing safe, affordable and nutritious food,” said Dave Schmidt, president and CEO at the International Food Information Council, who coordinates the alliance. “The alliance will be a clearinghouse of resources to increase consumer understanding of this role.”
The newly launched Alliance to Feed the Future website is home to an assortment of resources and information regarding modern food production from farm to fork.
Showing posts with label Food policy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food policy. Show all posts
Friday, March 18, 2011
Monday, December 21, 2009
Maple Leaf Foods creates independent food safety advisory council
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has established an independent advisory council of food safety experts to provide ongoing reviews of the company’s food safety strategy. In its first year, the committee will focus on making additions and modifications to Maple Leaf’s food safety program, evaluating emerging food safety risks in the industry and improving employee education and training.
Advisory council members are:
*Harvey Anderson, director of the program in food safety, nutrition and regulatory affairs at the University of Toronto
*Colin Dennis, retired director general of the Campden BRI food research center in the United Kingdom
*Mansel Griffiths, director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety and chair of the masters program in food safety at the University of Guelph, Ontario
*R. Bruce Tompkin, a microbiologist with more than 45 years in the food processing industry and one of the developers of the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety management system
*John Weisgerber, former director of quality for a major North American meat processor with nearly 40 years experience in quality and food safety management
"The primary mandate of the council is to challenge the status quo of Maple Leaf's food safety program so we continue to raise the bar ever higher," said Randy Huffman, the company’s chief food safety officer.
In August 2008, Maple Leaf was hit by a recall of more than 220 product lines when the Canadian government identified one of its factories as the source of a listeria outbreak that sickened at least 26 people, according to The New York Times. At the time, company leaders estimated that the recall would cost the company more than CAN$20M.
Advisory council members are:
*Harvey Anderson, director of the program in food safety, nutrition and regulatory affairs at the University of Toronto
*Colin Dennis, retired director general of the Campden BRI food research center in the United Kingdom
*Mansel Griffiths, director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety and chair of the masters program in food safety at the University of Guelph, Ontario
*R. Bruce Tompkin, a microbiologist with more than 45 years in the food processing industry and one of the developers of the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety management system
*John Weisgerber, former director of quality for a major North American meat processor with nearly 40 years experience in quality and food safety management
"The primary mandate of the council is to challenge the status quo of Maple Leaf's food safety program so we continue to raise the bar ever higher," said Randy Huffman, the company’s chief food safety officer.
In August 2008, Maple Leaf was hit by a recall of more than 220 product lines when the Canadian government identified one of its factories as the source of a listeria outbreak that sickened at least 26 people, according to The New York Times. At the time, company leaders estimated that the recall would cost the company more than CAN$20M.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
GAO reports food safety regulation shortfalls
A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlighted deficiencies in the U.S. food safety system, particularly in imported products.
The office found a lack of coordination among the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) function of the Department of Homeland Security, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Among the noted issues:
*The CBP computer system does not interact with either FDA or FSIS tracking systems when food products are delivered to U.S. ports.
*The FDA has limited authority to enforce compliance with regulations.
*Individual importers do not have a unique identity number facilitating tracking on CBP and FDA computer systems.
*There is no mechanism to manage shipments that are imported inbound and may be subject to diversion to domestic consumption.
The situation is especially critical in relation to the volume of imports of diverse food products, many of which have the potential to impact public health.
The office found a lack of coordination among the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) function of the Department of Homeland Security, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Among the noted issues:
*The CBP computer system does not interact with either FDA or FSIS tracking systems when food products are delivered to U.S. ports.
*The FDA has limited authority to enforce compliance with regulations.
*Individual importers do not have a unique identity number facilitating tracking on CBP and FDA computer systems.
*There is no mechanism to manage shipments that are imported inbound and may be subject to diversion to domestic consumption.
The situation is especially critical in relation to the volume of imports of diverse food products, many of which have the potential to impact public health.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Let’s focus on formulating the right food policies
We know all about least-cost formulation and cost-effective production when it comes to getting the best out of our livestock through scientifically-based feed rations, but we are woefully inadequate when it comes to getting across to the general public - and politicians in particular - the essence of what we are achieving in terms of improvements in the efficient use of valuable world resources.
We are taking increasing criticism from poorly informed pressure groups and others that claim livestock are eating ingredients that could and should be used to feed people!
Whether we are formulating feeds or formulating policies, the principles to my mind, are the same - taking a safety first approach; aiming for an efficient use of resources; getting the best return from the money and effort applied; and achieving the objectives that we set out to achieve at the beginning.
It’s about time we took a stand and began to defend our industry where it matters - among policy formulators and the public. Read the rest of the blog.
We are taking increasing criticism from poorly informed pressure groups and others that claim livestock are eating ingredients that could and should be used to feed people!
Whether we are formulating feeds or formulating policies, the principles to my mind, are the same - taking a safety first approach; aiming for an efficient use of resources; getting the best return from the money and effort applied; and achieving the objectives that we set out to achieve at the beginning.
It’s about time we took a stand and began to defend our industry where it matters - among policy formulators and the public. Read the rest of the blog.
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