2011 March/April Issue - Land O'Lakes Inc.

PROFILESSARA MORTIMORE, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, Land O’Lakes, Arden Hills, MNLand O’Lakes in Forefrontof Food SafetyCooperative invests in people and plants to meet greater foodsafety expectations of customers and CongressSalmonella, E.coli, Listeria: these microorganismshave become householdwords due to food safety scaresin recent years. “The food industryhas been under intense scrutiny by consumersand regulators, and that has led to achange in expectations,” said Land O’LakesVice President of Quality Assurance andRegulatory Affairs Sara Mortimore.In fact, Congress passed the first comprehensivefood safety bill in 72 years, whichthe president signed into law early this year.The legislation, known as the Food SafetyModernization Act, requires companiesto implement written food safety plans thatwill be subject to inspection by the Food andDrug Administration (FDA). It authorizesrecalls of tainted food products instead ofrelying on voluntary recalls, and calls formore inspections of food facilities.Maintaining trust top priority“Maintaining our consumers’ and customers’trust when it comes to a safe foodsupply continues to be our highest priority– there’s no margin for error,” saidMortimore. “We have to protect consumers– both human and animal – as well asour brands and our industry.”In addition to protecting health, focusingon food safety makes business sense.Land O’Lakes President and CEO ChrisPolicinski said in his January/Februarygrowingtogether column, “Trust createsvalue.” Mortimore believes Land O’Lakeshas to “get it right the first time” to earnand keep that trust.The cooperative’s quality assurance teamhas been spreading its food safety focus andsharing responsibility for it at all levels inthe feed and dairy foods manufacturing system.“Land O’Lakes has been a leader in thisarea,” Mortimore noted. “We share ideasand develop solutions with all those involvedin our plants. We all own the ‘Q’ in quality.”Just as member dairy farms have to meetGrade A standards for milk, the cooperative’sdairy plants now are required to meet GlobalFood Safety Initiative (GFSI) productionstandards. The certification process includesa rigorous review by an independent auditor.Feed operations also undergo annual auditsthat measure product safety compliance.Investing in preventionWhile Land O’Lakes has a strong track recordin food safety, it’s not resting on its laurels,“We’re investing in people and plantsacross our business,” Mortimore said. Sheand her staff teach a three-day class on foodsafety and the Hazard Analysis CriticalControl Point (HACCP) system to help employeesanalyze and control food safety risks.“HACCP is a straightforward, common-sensesystem that helps you think about what couldgo wrong and then figure out ways to preventit,” she said. “It takes a cooperative effort toassess and address all the potential risks.”Mortimore said the cost of a food safetyfailure is much greater than the cost ofprevention, based on the business andpublic relations costs of a product recall.Even if your product or commodity escapeswithout major damage to your reputation,she said, it can take years for salesto rebound and often companies go out ofbusiness, as in the case of the peanut butterrecall due to salmonella in 2009.“Quality is what sets Land O’Lakesbrands apart,” Mortimore said, “and foodsafety is the foundation for all the quality attributesthat create value for customers andmember-owners.” ■Sara Mortimore is vice presidentof Quality Assurance and RegulatoryAffairs for Land O’Lakes. Sara joinedLand O’Lakes in 2008, after serving nearly20 years in several quality and food safetyroles at General Mills. She is a British citizen,and has lived in the U.S. since 2002.www.landolakesinc.com MARCH/APRIL 2011 13