Food Safety Magazine, June/July 2012

News Bites
FDA Announces
Final Strategic
Plan for the
Foods and
Veterinary
Medicine
Program
The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) announced
the release of
the final Strategic Plan for
the Foods and Veterinary
Medicine Program (FVM)
for 2012–2016. The plan
addresses the responsibilities
of the Center for
Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition and the Center
for Veterinary Medicine
while including activities
supported by the Office
of Regulatory Affairs. The
plan illustrates the breadth
and complexity of the program’s
work and identifies
priority initiatives. It outlines
seven strategic program
goals, each encompassing
its own key objectives,
as well as nearly 100
specific initiatives aimed at
achieving goals and objectives.
The draft Strategic Plan
was published on September
30, 2011, with a 30-
day comment period. The
FDA carefully reviewed and
considered all submitted
comments before issuing
this final Strategic Plan.
More information can be
found at www.fda.gov/
AboutFDA/
CentersOffices/
OfficeofFoods/
ucm273269.htm.
CanadaGAP and CPMA Food Safety Programs to Merge
The Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC)
and Canadian Produce Marketing Association
(CPMA) will integrate the CanadaGAP (On-Farm
Food Safety) Program and the CPMA Repacking
and Wholesale Food Safety Program (RWFSP).
Both the CHC and CPMA boards of directors
approved the integration initiative during their respective
annual meetings earlier this year.
Integrating the two programs will result in some
key benefits for the Canadian fruit and vegetable industry, including adopting an industrywide
food safety system that meets customer requirements; ensuring consistent and complementary
food safety standards from producers and packers to wholesalers and repackers; lessening the
confusion around overlapping programs or requirements; meeting the needs of companies that
pack and repack product; maintaining strong linkages between the various levels of the value
chain; competing more effectively with other internationally recognized programs whose scope
reaches farther along the value chain and integrating audits, audit checklists, auditor training,
government technical reviews and international benchmarking processes.
A formal study was undertaken in 2010 to examine the feasibility of the joint venture. The
study concluded this was a feasible initiative. The two programs will be integrated under an autonomous
corporate entity that will function independently of both CHC and CPMA.
Work on this initiative will continue through 2012–13, with funding assistance from Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Integrated Food Safety Initiative under Growing
Forward. The integrated program could be available by 2013–14.
Huub Lelieveld Receives Food Safety Magazine
Distinguished Service Award
At the 2012 annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists
(IFT) in Las Vegas, NV, Huub Lelieveld will be presented
with the Food Safety Magazine Distinguished Service Award at the
joint social of the Nonthermal Processing and Food Engineering
divisions of IFT.
Mr. Lelieveld’s outstanding commitment to food safety is
reflected in his roles as president of the Global Harmonization
Initiative, member of the Executive Committee and past-president
of EFFoST (the European Federation of Food Science and
Technology), and founder and past-president of EHEDG
(the European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group). He
continues to be active in various societies and helps drive
innovation and advances in the processing of safe food.
As a longtime member of the Editorial Advisory Board,
and frequent contributor to Food Safety Magazine, including
this issue’s article “What’s in the Best Interest of the Food Industry?” on page 18, we are pleased
to honor Huub’s stellar contributions on global food safety, hygienic processing and plant design,
and novel food processing technologies, which are unparalleled in the food industry.
The Food Safety Magazine Distinguished Service Award honors individuals who best exemplify
the characteristics of the dedicated food safety professional. Those honored are recognized by
members of the profession for their collective works in promoting and advancing science-based
solutions for food safety issues.
Past recipients of the award include Allen Katsuyama, Larry Beuchat, Ph.D., Keith Ito, William
Sperber, Ph.D., Robert L. Buchanan, Ph.D., Bruce Tompkin, Ph.D., John N. Butts, Ph.D.,
Don L. Zink, Ph.D., David Theno, Ph.D., and Barbara Masters, DVM.
8 F o o d S a f e t y M a g a z i n e