Publish Date: May 6, 2015
The Western Food Safety Summit will Focus on Risk Management
SALINAS, Calif. - The Agricultural Business and Technology Institute of Hartnell College is excited to host the 10th Western Food Safety Summit. This year’s theme is “How Risk Management Is Changing.” The event will convene on Thursday May 7 and Friday May 8, 2015 at the Mainstage Theatre (Building K) on the Main Campus at 411 Central Avenue, Salinas, CA from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Summit will kick off on Thursday with a guest appearance by Rylee Gustafson, a food safety victim of the 2006 spinach outbreak, and her mother, Kathleen Chrismer, who serves on the board of STOP Foodborne Illness. The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement regularly collaborates with STOP to build awareness of the science-based, good agricultural practices being implemented in the leafy greens industry. Their latest educational video production will be showcased at the Summit.
This year's summit theme will focus on How Risk Management Is Changing – especially as new science becomes available and agribusinesses prepare for implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) expected later this year. The conference program will highlight two especially big game changers: whole genome sequencing of pathogens and the legal front. Dr. Andrea Ottesen (ORS CFSAN FDA) will speak on Metagenomics and how they can provide a better understanding of food safety. Tools such as Genome Trakr can facilitate the rapid detection of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. On the legal front, William Marler of Marler Clark will talk about recent developments with indemnity and how it applies to fresh produce production, handling, and processing. Mr. Marler began litigating foodborne illness cases in 1993, representing the most seriously injured survivors of the landmark Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Since then, he has represented victims of nearly every large foodborne illness outbreak in the United States. He will share the floor with two other leading nationally recognized food safety attorneys: Joshua Swiger (Weinberg, Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial) and Bradley Sullivan (L+G).
The first day will focus primarily on production practices in the field along with tools for on-farm food safety education and risk assessments. Day two is oriented towards facility operations including effective sanitation and common audit findings in facilities. The final afternoon session will highlight the importance of the entire supply chain having a dedicated approach to managing food safety risks, but then challenges participants with a legal perspective of how important traceability and separation of identify can be. Finally, participants will be presented with a plethora of resources they can immediately access to assist in further establishing and maintaining a culture of food safety.
"The Ag Institute’s Food Safety Industry Advisory committee is pleased to once again be able to provide two full days of cutting edge, science based developments, practices, and policies that participants can readily apply to their own operations to manage risks and increase the basis for a strong culture of food safety," said Dr. Susan M. Pheasant, Director of Agriculture Business & Technology Institute. Whether you are involved in growing, producing, handling, and/or purchasing fresh produce on a small or large scale on behalf of consumers, this is an event you will want to attend.
For media inquiries the day of the event, you may contact, Susan Pheasant, Director – Agricultural Business and Technology Institute at 509-421-0358 or spheasant@hartnell.edu or Cristina Westfall, Hartnell College Foundation at cwestfall@hartnell.edu.
**Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the door.
Hartnell Community College District
The Hartnell CCD serves over 15,000 students annually through its main campus in Salinas, the Alisal Campus in East Salinas, the King City Education Center, and various outreach learning centers throughout the Salinas Valley. Hartnell College, a Hispanic Serving Institution, provides workforce training, basic skills courses, and prepares students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Hartnell College is recognized for its innovative public and private partnerships that support world class STEM education, career technical education, fine and performing arts, humanities, and athletics. We are growing leaders through opportunity, engagement, and achievement. For more about Hartnell CCD, visit www.hartnell.edu.
###