Attend Town Halls on Food Traceability Rule Lot-Level Tracking
PFT and FDA’s 2026 virtual town halls will give stakeholders and other interested parties a forum to share information on continued implementation of the Food Traceability Rule and areas of remaining concern, specifically as they relate to lot-level tracking and flexibilities for compliance.
Each session is free and will run from noon to 2 p.m. ET:
- June 15: Challenges and Solutions for Lot-Level Traceability
- November 6: Solutions and Progress in Lot-Level Traceability
Register here.
Mandernach Featured at Safe Food California’s Annual Food Safety Conference
Among the sessions at DFA of California’s Safe Food California conference in Monterey on April 7-9, 2026, was a dynamic discussion called, “The Current State of Food Policy in Washington: Chaos or Change?” Consumer Reports’ Brian Ronholm and AFDO Executive Director Steven Mandernach offered their timely insights into the policy shifts shaping the industry.
Longtime McDonald’s FSQS Team Member, AFDO Board Member Dionne Crawford Retires September 2026
After 23 years of service with McDonald’s, Manager of US FSQS Dionne Crawford will retire this fall. Her leadership roles with McDonald’s included Business Consultant, Operations and Training Consultant, professor at Hamburger University, and Food Safety Supervisor. Crawford, an AFDO Board member representing food service and the 2019 AFDO Industry Member Award winner, is a former U.S. Air Force member and Gulf War veteran who plans to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris this fall. AFDO extends its gratitude, highest regards, and best wishes in her retirement.
🚨 2026 AFDO AEC Early Bird Rates Expire Tomorrow!
Food safety leaders across regulatory and industry are already registering for the 2026 AFDO Annual Educational Conference, June 5-9, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio. Register before April 15 to take advantage of reduced rates on the five days of educational sessions focused on three content tracks. Make new connections with peers and find out how they are managing common challenges.
✅ Check out the entire agenda here.
New for this year: Pre-conference activities kick off Friday, June 5, with the opening evening session on Saturday, June 6.
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.
FSIS Addresses Chemical Residue Sampling Results and New WGS Lab Protocols
You can now access FSIS’s National Residue Program Quarterly Report and associated datasets on the agency’s website. The report summarizes the chemical residue results for the U.S. National Residue Program for meat, poultry, and egg products. Read the report here.
FSIS has also announced updates to its whole genome sequencing (WGS) laboratory method to incorporate the Illumina MiSeq i100 sequencing platform, which features integrated sequencing chemistry and reduced runtimes. Find the updated guidebook here.
AFDO Launches Quick Bites, Delivering Weekly Soft Skills Inspo
Quick Bites, a new weekly update from AFDO, will deliver fast fact learning opportunities focused on soft skills for food safety professionals. Delivered via email, each edition will feature one short, practical resource designed to spark ideas for change and action — whether applied individually or within an organization.
Curated by AFDO staff, Quick Bites can include videos, podcasts, and more that support the essential skills food safety professionals need — critical thinking, active listening, time management, problem solving, decision making, emotional intelligence, conflict management, and de-escalation. Built for regulators, industry professionals, and other food safety stakeholders, this series provides trusted, grab and go professional development.
Here’s a sample of what you can expect every week when you sign up for AFDO Quick Bites:
🎥 Five simple strategies to sharpen your critical thinking | BBC Ideas
🎥 How to write an email (no, really) | Victoria Turk | TEDxAthens
🎥 The Difference Between the Verb and Noun of Employee Engagement | Solutions Explained by Roman 3
AFDO.org Pro Tips
AFDO AEC Agenda
In this regularly updated eNews section, AFDO staffers will share their pro tips on how to get the most from afdo.org. With just a week left to register for AFDO Annual Educational Conference using Early Bird rates, agenda developers Carrie Rigdon, Sally Flowers, Brenda Morris, and Deanna Copeland share best practices for navigating this year’s program.
Pro Tip: Use the View Sessions tab at top left on this page to filter sessions by date, speaker, title, or track. Clicking on a speaker’s name will bring up each session they’re taking part in. Right click on a session name and select “Copy Link” or “Open in a New Tab,” to access a unique URL that you can share on social media or send to colleagues who might be interested.
ICYMI: Worth Another Look
AFDO Takes a Southern Roadtrip
AFDO Executive Director Steven Mandernach and Retail Food Safety Director Deanna Copeland took a roadtrip through four southern U.S. states last week, stopping in Tallahassee, Florida; Montgomery, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to learn more about their programs and share what AFDO can do to help. Visiting with retail food safety, produce, and manufactured food programs in each state, topics included budgetary concerns, hiring and retention, AFDO’s training offerings, and FoodShield capabilities.
FDA, CDC, Local Partners Investigate March 2026 Multistate E. Coli Infection Outbreak
As of April 3, 2026, a total of nine confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections were reported from three states, including seven in California and one each in Florida and Texas. Known illness onset dates range from September 1, 2025, to February 20, 2026.
Evidence indicates that Raw Farm-brand raw cheddar cheese products made by Raw Farm, LLC, are the likely source of this outbreak. On April 2, 2026, Raw Farm initiated a voluntary recall of certain cheeses. FDA is working with the firm and its customers to determine if any downstream recalls are necessary.
FDA initiated an onsite inspection and sample collection at Raw Farm in coordination with state partners. Sample analysis is ongoing but, at this time, FDA is not aware of any positive samples. If there are any positive test results, those results will be reported as they become available.
Read the full update here.
AFDO Is Seeking Board Nominations
AFDO is seeking nominations for the positions of board Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer.
Vice President: Since this position automatically assumes the role of President-Elect, then President, followed by Past President, the commitment is for four years.
The Vice President serves on the board of directors before installation as President of the association. During the first year, the vice president helps carry out association programs through duties delegated by the President. He or she will also automatically fill the unexpired term of the President-Elect if the latter office becomes vacant, or when the annual term of President-Elect is complete.
Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer serves on the Board of Directors as an officer of the association and is responsible for working closely with the Associate Executive Director to act as the custodian of all association funds. This role provides oversight of the usual and normal disbursement of funds in accordance with the approved budget and ensures that financial practices align with established policies.
In addition to financial responsibilities, the Secretary/Treasurer assists with taking notes during the three annual Board of Directors meetings held each year.
The term for this position is three years. For full details regarding the duties and expectations of this position, please refer to Policy No. 4 in the AFDO Policies and Procedures, available at: https://www.afdo.org/about/.
Email nominations to Krystal Reed by May 1, 2026.
April 17 Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee Webinar Covers Policy Updates
The AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee is continuing its webinar series with the next session: 420 Policy Update: The Future of Marijuana, Hemp, and CBD, presented by Cat Packer, Director of Drug Markets & Legal Regulation at the Drug Policy Alliance. The session will unpack a recent Executive Order with a focus on the ongoing administrative process to reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act and the anticipated next steps.
Date: Friday, April 17, 2026
Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m. ET
Register here. You can watch previous sessions here.
2026 AFDO AEC Awards: Nominate Someone Today
Nominations are open for several awards that will be presented at the 2026 AFDO Annual Education Conference, June 5-9, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio.
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. The scope of what counts as an achievement is very wide. A few examples: 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 Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
Wiley Award Salutes Exceptional Service
The prestigious Harvey W. Wiley Award is presented annually to a regulatory or honorary AFDO member for exceptional service in the performance of duties and responsibilities in the administration and enforcement of food, drug, medical products, or other consumer protection laws, while promoting the objectives of the Association.
Nominations for this prestigious award are now being solicited, and the winner is selected by prior Wiley award winners.
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 Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
Regional Affiliate News
Register Now for the New NCAFDO Educational Webinar
Sealed foods, cold brew, kratom, toxic metals … today’s critical food safety challenges are complex and evolving. Hear more about the timeliest regulatory and safety issues impacting the food sector today on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET.
AFDO affiliate North Central Association of Food and Drug Officials (NCAFDO) hosts the free educational webinar on these topics geared to retail and manufactured food regulators and industry partners, with sessions led by experts from the Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture.
Register here.
Nominations Open for the Mary Logan Scholarship
The Association of Food and Drug Officials of the Southern States awards the Mary Logan Scholarship to support the next generation of professionals in food, drug, and consumer product safety. Logan was the AFDOSS Secretary/Treasurer for 30 years and is retired after a 39-year career with the Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture.
Find the eligibility requirements for the $6,000 scholarship in her honor here. You can find an online application here. Submit by June 16, 2026, for the 2026-2027 academic year. This year’s recipient will be announced during the AFDOSS AEC in August 2026.
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.
