Center for Produce Safety

TK: This is hot off the wires and answers all questions: who, what, when, why and where. The question of how to restore consumer confidence is what all the W's will try to solve. From its appearance, this is a solid collaborative effort, a needed investment that could return big dividends. Also, here is short audio link from a conversation I had last week with Lorna Christie, senior vice president of industry products and services for PMA.

MEDIA ADVISORY
FRESH PRODUCE INDUSTRY TO UNVEIL SIGNIFICANT NEW INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO ENHANCE PRODUCE SAFETY
Produce Marketing Association pledges $2 million to create
Center for Produce Safety at the University of California Davis

WHAT DETAILS UNVEILED AT APRIL 11, 2007 PRESS CONFERENCE
Leading produce trade associations along with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and UC Davis’ Western Institute for Food Safety and Security (WIFSS) will unveil plans for a new Center for Produce Safety at a press conference on April 11, 2007. The new Center will serve as an unprecedented clearinghouse for research on produce safety overall and WILL fund new scientific studies to mitigate risks associated with the nation’s produce supply. The Produce Marketing Association will contribute $2 million towards launching the Center and will work with the State of California and other leading industry associations to secure additional funding.

The April 11, 2007 press conference will feature:

Plans for the scope and focus of the new Center for Produce Safety at WIFSS

An announcement by Dept. of Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura on the State’s involvement in the Center

A Call to Action from the state of California and industry association partners to secure additional support for research and training initiatives

Plans for new science based training and outreach programs to enhance food safety systems

WHY Upon learning about the spinach E. coli outbreak in 2006, the entire produce supply chain immediately focused on answering two critical questions – how did this happen and how could they collectively work together to prevent an outbreak from occurring in the future. The industry is collaborating to improve existing systems to answer these questions and is focused on four critical areas – research, training, verification and consumer education – to ensure that consumers have a safe and healthy eating experience, every bite every time.

WHEN Wednesday, April 11 - 10:30 AM

WHERE Western Institute for Food Safety and Security (WIFSS)
UC Davis, 279 Cousteau Place, Suite 100
Davis, California 95616

WHO California Dept. of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura
Produce Marketing Association President Bryan Silbermann
UC Davis representatives Dean Bennie Osburn and
WIFSS acting interim directors, Drs. Linda Harris and Robert Atwill
Western Growers Association Exec VP Matt McInerney and VP Dave Puglia
United Fresh Produce Association representatives
California Farm Bureau Federation President Doug Mosebar

Good bad or indifferent

I am looking for reaction/input on a story I'm writing about fruit and vegetable terminal market inspections - good, bad or indifferent. You can drop comments on this post or through the anonymous tips form on the blog. Contact info would be appreciated for follow up questions.


A. Terminal market inspections been on a downward trend in recent year. Why might be some of the reasons for that?

B. For receivers and chains, what are the alternatives to using USDA inspections?

C. Do suppliers feel inhibited from asking for an inspection because of their relationships with receivers or chain stores? Is it worth it for a supplier to call for an appeal inspection?

D. Is the escalating cost of inspection services from USDA a barrier to more frequent use?

E. Do you have any concerns about the integrity of the inspection service?

Any assistance you can provide would be appreciated.

Iffy in Tifton

Shay Kennedy of Georgia Vegetable Co. Inc. in Tifton told me that growers in the region did experience spotted frost over the weekend. It is too early to say what the damage is, but a warming trend is expected this week. Meanwhile, John Rice of Rice Fruit Co. in Pennsylvania said apple orchards there came through the cold temps with minimal damage, but reports from North Carolina are not as optimistic.
Here is this news report from North Carolina's News Observer.

From the April 9 story:
A shot of withering Easter cold devastated North Carolina peach and apple orchards and may have significantly damaged the state's blueberry crop, growers said today.
Ken Chappell, who grows peaches and apples near the western Moore County town of Eagle Springs, already knows the Easter Sunday cold wiped out both crops.
"They're 100 percent killed," he said.

Hunger Awareness Day Approaching

On June 5, 2007 communities across the country will remember more than 35 million Americans suffering from hunger or food insecurity by recognizing Hunger Awareness Day. Hunger Awareness Day is a day of unity for everyone in the United States to come together and show their support for one of the most solvable social issues in this country—hunger relief.

The heart of Hunger Awareness Day is people coming together to help hungry Americans. Whether it is advocating, raising awareness, sponsoring an event, participating in an event, or volunteering everyone can join us in fighting hunger in their communities.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007, is Hunger Awareness Day. Now in its SIXTH year, this day serves as a platform for domestic hunger-relief organizations to raise awareness about hunger in America and the work we do. Our theme this year is “The Face of Hunger Will Surprise You.”
Although each organization working on the issue of domestic hunger approaches the issue from a slightly different position, Hunger Awareness Day gives us the opportunity to gather our resources, supporters, and voices in focusing the nation’s attention on one of the most solvable problems facing every community in America.
Increasing awareness that domestic hunger is a real and growing problem will help ensure that there are enough resources to feed hungry Americans. There are events being planned throughout the country by individuals, groups and corporations. Bookmark this page and check back often!
For more information, contact: Ross FraserMedia Relations ManagerAmerica’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network 312-641-6422 mailto:Network312-641-6422rfraser@secondharvest.org

RB: This is a worthy event. Please consider your involvement and let us know how we can assist you. Hunger can affect anyone at anytime.

Brackett flashback

I interviewed Dr. Robert Brackett of the FDA in December 2005 at the agency's Maryland offices, not long after the FDA wrote a letter to the lettuce industry prodding them on commodity specific guidelines. Here is the audio from that interview. It is interesting that toward the end of the interview, Brackett says the food safety question is a problem that is up to the industry to solve. Now, with public meetings held by the FDA on food safety and Congressional deliberations on any number of changes to food safety oversight, it is a problem that - for better or worse - everyone now has a hand in.

OC Outbreak not linked to Salinas

The latest from Orange County indicates the E. coli strain that has caused multiple illnesses for patrons of a Souplantation restaurant has not been found in California before and not associated with the Salinas spinach outbreak.
From the LA Times:

Sutter said health officials have not identified the source of the E. coli outbreak. The strain of the bacteria is rare — but not necessarily deadlier — and has not been reported in California, he said. It is different from the strain linked to the spinach grown near Salinas, Calif., that was identified as the cause of an E. coli outbreak last summer that killed three people, including a toddler.