Source:  NCDA&CS, 7/30/09

Two senior officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will speak at Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler’s fifth annual Food Safety Forum Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the State Fairgrounds.

The event, formerly known as AgFIRST!, will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Kerr Scott Building. More than 200 representatives of agriculture and food businesses have registered for the forum.

“The name might have changed, but the focus is still on food safety,” Troxler said.

Keynote speaker will be Michael Taylor, senior advisor to the commissioner of FDA. He will talk about building stronger partnerships for food safety.

In the wake of the massive national recall of peanut butter products, Dr. Donald Zink, senior scientist at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, will give a presentation titled “The Changing Science of Peanut Butter.”

The following speakers also are on the agenda: Dr. Ken Falci, senior director of scientific regulatory operations for Kellogg Co.; David Bergmire-Sweat, foodborne disease epidemiologist with the N.C. Division of Public Health; Joe Reardon, director of food and drug protection at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; and Dr. David Green and Barry Nash of N.C. State University’s Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences.

Reps. Howard Coble, Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller, members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation, also are scheduled to speak.

Admission to the forum is free and lunch will be provided, but registration is required. To register, visit www.ncagr.gov/ncfoodsafetyforum or contact Christina Lucas Waggett at (919) 733-7125, ext. 255. Registration deadline is Aug. 11.

The forum is sponsored by N.C. Farm Bureau, N.C. Egg Association, N.C. Cattlemen’s Association, N.C. Fisheries Association and FoodShield.