2026 Inspector Boot Camp Sets Attendee Record
More than 4,700 attendees took advantage of AFDO’s 2026 Inspector Boot Camp Series. Basic Inspector Boot Camp January 14, 21, and 28 featured sessions covering how to make a good first impression, pest control basics, and technical training topics covering manufactured and retail foods. Advanced Inspector Boot Camp January 15, 22, and 29 featured sessions covering root cause analysis, food safety culture, and food additives.
Check out session recording and materials by clicking here.
Mark your calendars for next year’s series. Basic Inspector Boot Camp will be January 6, 13, and 20, 2027. Advanced Inspector Boot Camp will be January 7, 14, and 21, 2027.
Next Week’s Fresh Take Fridays Webinar Covers HPAI
The current Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak began in poultry in 2021 and entered a new phase in 2024 with detection in dairy cattle, intensifying attention across animal health, food safety, laboratory, and public health sectors. The March 6 Fresh Take Fridays webinar will bring attendees up to speed on how events unfolded from 2024 through 2025, offering state and national insights into the response. Speakers will discuss how cross‑sector partners worked together to safeguard animal health, human health, and the food supply. Register by clicking here.
Help AFDO plan future Fresh Take Fridays sessions by taking a short survey to crystallize and submit your idea for a future webinar. You may have an insight from a foodborne illness outbreak or a topic you heard in a recent presentation that merits more attention. Help the FTF planning committee by sharing your thoughts in this survey.
FDA Takes Actions Related to the FTR
Last week, FDA issued guidance addressing stakeholder questions regarding implementation of the Food Traceability Rule and a notice exempting certain cottage cheese products from the record-keeping requirements of the Food Traceability Rule, which is for foods on the Food Traceability List.
Find the download for “Questions and Answers About Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods: Guidance for Industry – Draft Guidance” here.
Rosemont, Illinois, Hosts 2026 Food Safety Summit in May
Registration is open for the 2026 Food Safety Summit, May 11-14, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. This educational event for food safety professionals will feature dozens of interactive sessions, workshops, and certificate courses led by more than 100 subject matter experts. AFDO Executive Director Steven Mandernach sits on the Thursday, May 14, Town Hall panel and later that day leads the Closing Session on 15 years of FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act.
Find more details and register here.
Registration Open! 2026 AEC Is in Columbus, Ohio, This June
This year’s AFDO Annual Educational Conference will be June 5-9, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio. Get ready for five days of educational sessions focused on three content tracks. Make new connections with peers and find out how they are managing common challenges.
🎥 Click Here to Watch AFDO Executive Director Steven Mandernach’s Early Preview of 2026 AFDO AEC.
New for this year: Pre-conference activities kick off Friday, June 5, with the opening evening session on Saturday, June 6.
Early bird registration is open until April 15, so register ASAP to get the discounted rate.
AFDO members get an additional discount for the annual conference.
Not a current member? You can save an additional $100 off the early bird price by joining AFDO or renewing your membership now. It’s like getting the year-round benefit of an AFDO membership FREE. Learn more and join now by visiting here.
Visit the conference website here.
Acknowledge Performance at the 2026 AEC
Recognize an Outstanding AFDO Member With Wiley Award
The prestigious Harvey W. Wiley Award is presented each year to a regulatory or honorary AFDO member for exceptional service in the administration and enforcement of food, drug, medical products, or other consumer protection laws, while promoting AFDO objectives.
The 2026 award, selected by prior Wiley award winners, will be presented at the AFDO Annual Educational Conference, June 5-9, in Columbus, Ohio.
For more information and a list of prior winners, visit the Wiley Award page on the AFDO website. Please send your nomination directly to kreed@afdo.org by close of business on Thursday, April 15, 2026.
Nominate a Food Safety Program for a Grosvenor Award
Established in 2010, the Elliot O. Grosvenor Food Safety Award recognizes outstanding achievements made by food safety programs within state departments of agriculture, natural resource agencies, public health departments, or environmental conservation departments in the United States or Canada. The 2026 award will go to the program that best showcases improvement, innovation, or sustained high performance within a food safety program. Find more details or submit a nomination here.
Credit a High Achiever With the Corby Award
The Joseph Corby Achievement Award is given for one or more specific achievements, or for a documented sustained high level of performance. A few examples of what counts as an achievement are: developing evidence in a difficult case that results in an indictment, conviction, or administrative action; bringing about a measurable improvement in general conditions, e.g., raising test scores on dairy farms or average scores in a group of food establishments; teaching courses that result in more food manager certifications; removing dangerous consumer products from the marketplace; or developing new techniques such as more effective use of computers.
Read more about eligibility and find a nomination form here. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 15, 2026.
Virtual Conference Builds Leadership Skills
Catalyst Food Leaders holds its leadership summit on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The event will feature keynotes from leaders in food and operations, panels with practical takeaways, and reflection moments built into the day to help attendees connect back to their leadership.
Find more details here.
AFDO.org Pro Tips
Language Translation Resource in the Field
In this new regularly updated eNews section, AFDO staffers will share their pro tips on how to get the most from afdo.org. Assistant Program Director Autumn Schuck offers pro tips on how to get the most out of AFDO’s Language Translation resources.
“We built the resource format around inspector use because we saw inspectors conducting inspections and having trouble explaining something due to a language barrier. In walks AFDO language resources. Find the language, find the topic — and boom! There is a resource to show them all from your phone.”
Pro Tip: Experienced inspectors might know the challenges ahead, so they often will look on the website prior to the inspection so they can have easy access while they are in the building. The videos are all in one spot too, making it an easy educational format.
ICYMI: Worth Another Look
HHS Secretary Kennedy Announces Management Team Changes
Last week, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced several changes to his management team at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to accelerate adoption of President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan and the Make America Healthy Again agenda, according to a release.
As part of these changes, Chris Klomp will become Chief Counselor at HHS and oversee all operations of the department. In addition, Kennedy has named Kyle Diamantas and Grace Graham as Senior Counselors for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Diamantas will continue to serve as Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, and Graham will continue to serve as Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs.
Learn more by clicking here.
FDA Will Reassess Use of Preservative BHT
On February 10, 2026, FDA launched a comprehensive reassessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a chemical preservative used in food to consider whether BHA is safe under its current conditions as a food contact substance. Recognized as GRAS in 1958 and approved as a food additive in 1961, BHA is used to prevent spoilage of fats and oils.
For decades, health advocates have raised potential safety concerns regarding the use of BHA. The National Institute of Health’s National Toxicology Program lists BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies.
Learn more by clicking here.
Former AFDO Endowment Foundation Chair John C. Young Dies at 87
John C. Young, a longtime supporter of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, serving as Chair of the AFDO Endowment Foundation Board of Trustees, died February 10 at 87 years old. Young, an attorney, was a partner at Young and Associates in Stowe, Vermont. Previously, Young was Director of Regulatory Affairs-Nutritionals for the McNeil Consumer Healthcare Company. He began his career as a trial attorney for the Food and Drug Division of the former Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in Washington, D.C., becoming Chief of the Litigation Branch of the Division. He was active in AFDO for more than 30 years, serving on several committees in addition to his work with the Endowment Foundation.
AFDO will share a full obituary and more information on funeral and memorial services if they’re made available. We at AFDO extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. If you would like to send your condolences to Young’s family, please reach out to afdo@afdo.org.
AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee Webinar Series Continues
Presented by Dr. John MacKay, Founder and CEO of Synergistic Technologies Research, LLC, this two-part webinar is part of an ongoing AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee webinar series.
Principles and Practice in Assessing Compliance of Cannabis Manufacturing — Part One seeks to assist regulators in developing a consistent, shared language for concentration processes, risk assessment, and compliance within the cannabis extraction industry.
Date: February 27, 2026
Time: 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET
Register Here
Principles and Practice in Assessing Compliance of Cannabis Manufacturing — Part Two seeks to link regulatory expectations to real-world risks. Each section of the seminar is directly tied to common real-world risks encountered in cannabis manufacturing.
Date: March 13, 2026
Time: 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET
Register Here
Expert Panel Holds Roundtable Discussion on Food Allergies
The FDA Expert Panel on Food Allergieswill facilitate discussions on the etiology and best treatments for food allergies as well as current health guidelines on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 1 to 3 p.m. ET, in the Great Room at the FDA’s White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland. The session is open to the public and members of the media; it will also be live-streamed over the FDA’s YouTube channel.
Space is limited. Registration is only required for in-person attendance.
CEA Alliance Meeting Attendees Learn About AFDO Resources and Collaboration
AFDO Produce Safety Director Brenda Morris spoke at the CEA Alliance Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. She joined Monica Noble, Vice President, Quality and Safety, at 80 Acres and Chair of the CEA Alliance Food Safety Working Group, and Dr. Laura Strawn, Food Safety Consultant to CEA Alliance in a presentation called “Industry/Regulatory/Research Collaboration to Drive Food Safety.”
Learn more about the Controlled Environment Agriculture Alliance here.
Regional Affiliate News
2026 WAFDO AEC Call for Abstracts Now Open
The Colorado Environmental Health Association is partnering with the Western Association of Food and Drug Officials and the Rocky Mountain Food Safety Conference for what the groups are calling a Mega Annual Education Conference, September 21-24, 2026, at the Sheraton Denver West Hotel in Lakewood, Colorado.
The organizations have opened a call for abstracts, encouraging potential speakers and organizers to bring forward the stories, lessons, and innovations that have shaped their work. They are seeking talks on environmental health, including food, water, air, zoonosis, and more. Visit the Call for Abstracts page for more information.
AFDOSS AEC Set for Gatlinburg August 23-26
Association of Food and Drug Officials of the Southern States (AFDOSS) is hosting this year’s AEC back in Gatlinburg August 23-26. Stay tuned afdoss.org for more registration and hotel block info coming soon. For anyone interested in being a conference sponsor this year, the AFDOSS AEC team is searching for sponsorships. If you’re interested in sponsoring or donating items for raffles, gift bags, etc., contact AFDOSS Treasurer Craig Nielsen at afdoss.craig@gmail.com.
