WPPC - Mexcian Embassy powerpoint

The powerpoint presented by Froylan Gracia Galicia at the Embassy of Mexico in DC on Sept. 12:

Outbound

Waiting for a U.S. Airways flight at Reagan National Airport, a few observations about the WPPC:

* I met Valerie of the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group at the WPPC. She reminded me of my earlier pledge to get our loyal FPIDG members a coffee mug, so I may be approach our art team for a Fresh Talk/FPIDG mug design. Failing that, we'll go for a simple Packer mug.
* both the embassy visits and the FDA field trip were valuable. I had a chance to attend both and each merits further exploration in this space. I've got the powerpoint from the visit to the Mexican embassy, which shares quite a bit of data and trade insight, along with a different world view than we are used to hearing.
* Speaking of the FDA visit, the general feeling the day after was that the Q and A with FDA officials was helpful but not ultimately satisfying for the industry. No vindication for tomatoes - not now and probably not ever. At today's lunch session, one retailer at my table said the triad of local/state health departments, the CDC and the FDA all trying to work in unison is an apparently impossible task. He said it seems to make sense to start with the clean sheet of paper and reorganize everything, with more authority flowing from the top down. Rosa DeLauro may have a backer in her plans for a total rebuild of federal food safety oversight....
* Another industry veteran said the FDA came to seek the counsel of the industry too late in the process during the salmonella investigation. Only after jalapenos became suspect did the FDA approach industry leaders about the implications of outbreak occurrences. Industry leaders then pointed FDA toward south Texas as an import source based on the pattern of reported illnesses. While FDA officials made a point to say during the Sept. 11 meeting that they are prohibited by law from sharing certain information with industry during an outbreak investigations - "None of us want to end our career as a felon" - clearly the agency needs to engage more fully with an industry SWAT team to help them decipher possible produce connections to foodborne illness outbreaks.

The big ask

Pic of FDA panel at the Sept. 11 WPPC meeting. Sorry that the pic appears "bootleg" but my G7 Canon decided to stop working yesterday and I borrowed a cell phone (thanks John).



The Washington Public Policy Conference meeting at the FDA facility in College Park, Md. was held in a large theater-style seating auditorium. A panel of FDA experts was on hand, including William Jones, Michelle Smith, Amy Green, Jack Guzewich and Marjorie Davidson. Tom Stenzel and David Gombas of United Fresh also spoke.

The well-attended session (two packed coachline buses) lasted about an hour and a half. It was a cordial meeting, with the first order of business a helpful explanation from Guzewich about the division of duties between local and state health departments, the CDC and the FDA.

He noted that the FDA had more than 50 conference calls with state, local and CDC officials during the outbreak investigation, not to mention communications with the trade and the press.

"It was a very difficult traceback for us....we had people that didn't take a break from June to early August."

He said the FDA officials took no pleasure in the commercial losses of produce traders, but emphasized the agency's top role was to protect consumers.

Guzewich talked of the complexity of tomato traceback, including issues like repacking and co-mingling mentioned.

As far as consumer advisories, FDA panelists said the agency is looking at consumer messaging in terms of what was effective and what wasn't.

There were a number of penetrating questions from WPPC attendees (I'll break down some of these in later blog posts), but the FDA still did not provide for any hope that the tomato link to the salmonella outbreak will be expunged. Even so, Tom Stenzel, in closing the meeting, asked the FDA to consider just that.

Here is what Stenzel said at the conclusion of the meeting, arguing that there appears to be "no logical way" tomatoes were involved in the outbreak:

“I really, really, really ask the agency to join in a reassessment that tomatoes were ever involved in this outbreak.” .

“It’s a rigorous debate, it’s a scientific debate, it’s not wishful thinking on our part,""I think there will be a rigorous scientific debate whether the initial epidemiological evidence was good science, now that we do have hard evidence, microbiological evidence of peppers on a particular farm.

“I urge the FDA in particular, don’t feel compelled by the (Centers for Disease Control)or New Mexico’s initial assessment; I think the agency has a lot riding on this."

WPPC - Fresh Festival Slideshow

Chat - Amy Philpott on the WPPC

Amy Philpott of United Fresh Produce Association took time this a.m. for a Fresh Talk "chat" session about the upcoming Washington Public Policy Conference (Sept. 10-12), among other topics.


:02 AM me: Hi Amy r u there?

amyphilpott1: Hi!

9:03 AM me: Thanks for taking time to give us an update on the upcoming public policy conference for United - via "chat mode"

9:04 AM amyphilpott1: Thanks for the opportunity - I love the new format!

9:05 AM me: Before I ask you the particulars about this year's event - what's the general ratio of attendees who have never been to a WPPC and those who are regulars?

9:07 AM amyphilpott1: We typcially get about 10% first-time attendees. This year, we are running at about 12% new attendees.

9:08 AM me: Interesting... and Robert mentioned the other day that registrations were running quite strong..what's the update there?

9:10 AM amyphilpott1: We are actually running ahead of last year with nearly 300 registered attendees and two weeks to go - last year we had about 300 total.

9:11 AM me: This has been quite a year for the industry - and for United staff - in dealing with the salmonella outbreak, among everything else - how has it been personally for you in helping to manage media issues related to that big story?

9:16 AM amyphilpott1: The industry does so many great things. It is hard when issues such as outbreaks detract from the many healthy, safe products that we do deliver everyday. Staying on top of the latest information, correcting misinformation, providing data, and helping the media understand that is exhausting - but I truly enjoy working to get the industry's message out.

9:18 AM me: I think what you and others do is not an easy task and a big industry service, of course. back to the WPPC. what do you hear from first time attendees about the event - what do they come away talking about?

9:23 AM amyphilpott1: It never fails - every year I hear it from first-time attendees, "This conference is the most incredible eye-opener! These issues are so important to our industry and being here in DC is an incredible experience." I think most people are put off by politics until they realize that they can have an impact. The WPPC is the perfect venue - we do all the logistical work and attendees just focus on helping the industry and their businesses...of course, we manage to slip in some fun too!

9:25 AM me: This year the agenda inlcudes a visit to the FDA - quite a coup...do we have confirmation on what FDA officials will represent the agency - that might be a tough crowd for them...

7 minutes

9:32 AM amyphilpott1: No doubt it will be an interesting meeting, but the purpose is to engage in consructive, two-way dialogue. We have a unique opportunity here so it can't just be a gripe session - we have to forge a foundation from which a longer-term working relationship can grow. We've done that as an association, but now it is time for members to take an active role. FDA has said that they "know it is an important event and definitely the right people will be there."

9:33 AM me: Amy, you have been generous with your time as usual. If people want to find more about the event and the agenda, where can they go to find the info? And thanks again for another "chat"..

9:34 AM amyphilpott1: Just go to our home page www.unitedfresh.org and click on the blue WPPC Capitol dome logo.

9:35 AM me: Thanks again..we'll see you in DC then

amyphilpott1: Thanks! See you there and it was good "chatting" with you again. ciao