E. Coli Infection Outbreak Investigation Continues Into Recalled Cheese Products
As of April 16, 2026, FDA and CDC are warning consumers not to eat, sell, or serve recalled Raw Farm-brand block and shredded raw cheddar cheeses, as investigation into a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections continues. Known illness onset dates from September 1, 2025, to February 20, 2026; there were seven in California and one each in Florida and Texas.
With evidence indicating that the 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. On April 7, 2026, the company updated the language and product names on its recall announcement.
Read the full update here.
AFDO Presents at CASA Annual Seminar
The Central Atlantic States Association of Food and Drug Officials held its 108th Annual Education and Training Seminar in Philadelphia this month. Among the other presenters at the three-day event were AFDO Executive Director Steven Mandernach, who spoke about food safety culture on April 15, 2026. AFDO President Kim Stryker gave the AFDO Address on the same day.
Learn more about CASA, its conferences, trainings, events, and more here.
2026 AFDO AEC Room Block Cutoff Is May 8
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. 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 $100 on registration by joining AFDO or renewing your membership now. It’s like getting the year-round benefit of an AFDO membership FREE. The Hyatt reservation cutoff is May 8.Learn more and join now by visiting here.
Visit the conference website here.
2026 Virtual Consumer Food Safety Education Conference Is June 4
Plug into a community of food safety, nutrition, and public health professionals on June 4, 2026. During this high‑impact day, you’ll stay ahead of emerging trends and strengthen the way you advance food safety.
Hear speakers from the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, USDA, FDA, CDC leadership, Health Canada and IFIC. Registration is $30, and registrants will get access to session recordings.
Register for the virtual Consumer Food Safety Education Conference here.
FSIS Announces New Leadership, Releases FY25 Consumer Complaint Summary
Dr. Melanie Abley, former acting Deputy Director of the Risk Management and Innovations Staff in the Office of Policy and Program Development, was named Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) at FSIS. Terry Dutko is now OPHS Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator; he earlier served as acting Executive Associate for Laboratory Services within the OPHS Laboratory Regulatory Operations. Read more about the personnel changes here.
The agency has also posted the FY 2025 annual summary of consumer complaints from October 2024 to September 2025, which are used to inform FSIS surveillance and response activities. These help the agency identify and investigate reports of potentially unsafe food.
Do You Need Weekly Soft Skills Inspo? Check Out Quick Bites
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’s State Retail Food Safety Maps
In this regularly updated eNews section, AFDO staffers will share their pro tips on how to get the most from afdo.org. AFDO Retail Food Safety Director Deanna Copeland shares why the site’s Retail Food Maps are a great resource.
“My favorite part of the website is the retail foods directory under the homepage’s Connect with Experts navigation tab. It makes it so easy to find the right contacts for any retail food jurisdiction, along with helpful details like food code versions, training requirements, and maps of retail inspection responsibilities.”
Pro Tip: Using the Regulatory Oversight Map, users can quickly find out the number of local agencies with retail inspection authority within that state as well as which agencies have regulatory authority over food service establishments and retail food stores at the state level. Click on a state to find more info on each local agency covered.
ICYMI: Worth Another Look
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
