2023 Produce Committee Meeting

Join the Produce Committee for their annual committee meeting. This meeting usually takes place at the AFDO Annual Educational Conference, but we have moved all of the committee meetings to a virtual format. This event is FREE to attend.

AFDO Produce Committee Virtual Meeting Agenda
May 24, 2023    1-2:30 PM EST

Introduction of committee chairs

Review of current committee charges and accomplishments

Presentation: (30 mins) – Outbreak Questions for Regulators resource document developed by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Workgroup 

• Jennifer McEntire, Founder, Food Safety Strategy, LLC.

Overview:  The outbreak questions document is intended for use by a company when regulators suggest an outbreak may be associated with a company product. These questions were developed to help guide a discussion between a company and regulators so the company can get a grasp on the situation and respond and react appropriately. This article and resource document may be beneficial as regulators and public health officials begin to anticipate these questions and are prepared to share with farms/firms information and details that can help expedite an investigation.

https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/food-safety/outbreak-questions-for-regulators/

Presentation: (30 mins) – FDA Produce Safety Education and Outreach Workgroup: Identified Knowledge Gaps to Address through Education and Outreach

• Kate Allen, FDA – Office of Regulatory Affairs, Produce Safety Network  
• Diane Ducharme, PhD, FDA – Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Produce Safety Network  

Overview:  FDA and States have been providing education on implementation of the provisions of the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) since it was finalized in 2015 as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  Under the PSR, there is currently no mechanism for capturing national and international knowledge gaps and ensuring those knowledge gaps are addressed.  The Produce Safety Education and Outreach Workgroup, comprised of FDA and USDA members, is charged with reviewing the available produce safety data streams, identifying knowledge gaps that exist and working with the right stakeholders to address these through the development and communication of educational resource material.  In 2020, an inaugural report provided a baseline for the quantitative analysis representing cumulative data spanning 2017 – 2020 from eight data sources. This presentation will focus on updating the baseline data with overall considerations for obtaining compliance with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule; improving on-farm food safety culture; and mitigating foodborne illness outbreaks.

Accept ideas for new committee projects for our charge for 2023-2024

Final discussion and questions (10 mins)