9 to 5 Food Safety

Today' s FDA "Safety of Fresh Produce Public Hearing" has a lengthy agenda. You have it below. Both Tom Stenzel of United and Bryan Silbermann of the Produce Marketing Association were slated to finish their remarks mere moments ago. We will publish their prepared remarks when we receive them from United and PMA.





Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)

Safety of Fresh Produce Public Hearing Agenda
College Park, MD
8:30 am – 5:00 pm


8:30am-9:00am Registration

9:00am-9:15am Welcome/Opening Remarks/Overview---
Robert Brackett, Ph.D., Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), FDA

9:15am-9:30am Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Associated with Fresh Produce Consumption---
Art Liang, M.D., Acting Director, Foodborne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

9:30am-9:45am GAPs/GMPs, Produce Safety Action Plan Opportunities and Challenges---
Michelle Smith, Ph.D., Office of Food Safety, CFSAN, FDA

9:45am-10:00am AFDO Perspective---Marion Aller, Ph.D., President, Association of Food and Drug Officials

10:00am-10:15am Investigation Findings---
Thomas Hill, Capt., Office of Food Defense, Communication and Emergency Response, CFSAN, FDA

10:15am-10:30am BREAK

10:30am-10:45am State Perspective---
Jim Rushing, Ph.D., Director of the Coastal Research and Education Center, Clemson University

10:45am-11:00am Questions from the FDA Panel

11:00am-11:30am Industry Perspective---
Tom Stenzel, President, United Fresh Produce Association
Bryan Silbermann, President, Produce Marketing Association
11:30am-11:45am Consumer Perspective---
Caroline Smith DeWaal, Director of Food Safety, Center for Science in the Public Interest

11:45am-12:00am Science/Research---
Martha Roberts, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the Director, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Florida

12:00am-12:15pm Questions from the FDA Panel

12:15pm-1:45pm LUNCH

1:45 pm 2:00pm Issues and Questions from the Federal Register notice---
Amy Green, Office of Food Safety, CFSAN, FDA

2:00pm-3:00pm Public Comments

3:00pm-3:15pm BREAK

3:15pm-4:45pm Public Comments

4:45pm-5:00pm Questions from the FDA Panel

5:00pm Adjourn



List of Persons Providing Public Comments

Perry Bowen, King George, VA
Thomas Nassif, Western Growers Association
Richard Ross, Path Tracer
Michelle Marcotte, International Irradiation Association
Reginald Brown, Florida Tomato Exchange
Anthony Corbo, Food and Water Watch
Charles Hall, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
G. Michael McCartney, QLM Consulting
Alfred Murray, New Jersey Department of Agriculture
Greg Drouillard, Sunkist Growers
Rayne Thompson, California Farm Bureau Federation
Joe Rajkovacz, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Inc
Sally Greenberg, Consumers Union
Robert Gravani, Cornell University
Jenny Scott, Grocery Manufacturers/ Food Products Association


FDA Panelists

Joe Baca -- Director, Office of Compliance, CFSAN, FDA
Jack Guzewich -- Acting Director, Division of Public Health and Biostatistics, Office of Food Defense, Communication and Emergency Response, CFSAN, FDA
Steve Solomon, DVM -- Deputy Director, Office of Regional Operations, ORA, FDA
Don Zink, Ph.D. -- Senior Food Scientist, Office of Food Safety, CFSAN, FDA
Glenda Lewis – Supervisor, Retail Food Protection Team, Office of Food Safety, CFSAN, FDA