Few subjects draw more immediate attention or concern than the safety of the food we eat. Recent years have seen a plethora of food warnings and recalls, raising new questions about the quality and integrity of our existing system for assuring food safety. In addition to explaining how our present system works, this program is intended to generate discussion on how changing consumer preferences are affecting the development and distribution of food, examine whether Federal, state, and industry oversight roles are changing, and discuss how regulatory and judicial processes can be most efficiently balanced. Participants include national and local representatives of government, the food industry, consumer organizations, and scientists.
Join Seattle University, Marler Clark, and Stoel Rives in welcoming renowned food safety experts from across the globe at the Seattle food safety conference: Who’s Minding the Store? The Current State of Food Safety and How it Can be Improved.
Who should attend:
• Food Industry Professionals
• Regulators and Policy Makers
• Consumer Advocates
• Plaintiff & Defense Attorneys
• Public Interest Representatives
SPACE IS LIMITED; REGISTER EARLY.
Conference Agenda
April 11, 2008
8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Welcome & Introductory Remarks
Kellye Testy, Dean, Seattle University School of Law
Barbara Kowalcyk, Director of Food Safety, Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention
Richard Raymond, MD, Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA FSIS
9:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Defining the Problem
How concerns about food safety are viewed by physicians, disease experts, state regulators, and consumers.
Tom Billy, President, International Food Safety Consulting LLC
Sandra McCurdy PhD, Extension Food Safety Specialist, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Idaho
Carlota Medus PhD, MPH, Epidemiologist, Acute Disease Investigation and Control Section, Minnesota Department of Health
William Keene, PhD, MPH, Senior Epidemiologist, Oregon Public Health Services, Acute and Communicable Disease Program
Richard Siegler MD, Professor Emeritus, University of Utah School of Medicine
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. How the Regulation of Food Safety Works
The roles and responsibilities as seen by Federal and State regulators, industry, and consumers
Mansour Samadpour PhD, CEO, IEH Laboratories
Christine Bruhn PhD, Director, Center for Consumer Research, University of California-Davis
David Goldman MD, MPH, Assistant Administrator, Office of Public Health Science, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Bala Swaminathan PhD, Vice President, Technical and Business Development, IHRC Inc.
Caroline Smith DeWaal, Food Safety Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest
12:30 – 1:45 p.m. Lunch, Seattle University School of
Kellye Testy, Dean, Seattle University School of Law
Luncheon Speaker: Governor Christine Gregoire
1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Zones of Responsibility
What are the responsibilities of growers/producers, sellers, government, and consumers in the food safety system?
John Munsell, President, Montana Quality Foods & Processing; Manager, Foundation for Accountability in Regulatory Enforcement
Craig Wilson, Assistant Vice President / GMM, Food Safety & Quality Assurance, Costco Wholesale
Scott Rickman, Associate General Counsel, Del Monte Foods
Andrew Benson PhD, Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska -Lincoln
Devon Zagory PhD, Senior Vice President, Food Safety & Quality Programs, NSF Davis Fresh
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Roles of the Civil and Criminal Justice System
Different perspectives on foodborne illness litigation
Neal Fortin JD, Director & Professor, Institute for Food Laws & Regulations, Michigan State University
Bradley Sullivan JD, Managing Attorney, Lombardo & Gilles LLP
Denis Stearns JD, Marler Clark LLP PS
Sarah Brew JD, Partner, Greene Espel PLLP
Alan Maxwell JD, Weinberg, Wheeler, Hudgins, Gunn & Dial LLC
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Reception, Seattle University School of Law Court Level Gallery
SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2008
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Introductory Remarks
Patricia Griffin MD, Chief, Enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. How is Food Protected Overseas?
International perspectives on food safety
Liu Zhouhui, Deputy Director General of Certification and Accreditation Administration, People’s Republic of China
Jorgen Schlundt, Director, Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases; Acting Director, Department of Nutrition in Health and Development, World Health Organization
Canice Nolan PhD, First Counselor, Food Safety, Health, Consumer Affairs, Delegation of the European Commission, Washington DC
Chris Griffith PhD, Professor, Head Food Research and Consultancy Unit, University of Wales Institute-Cardiff
Deon Mahoney, Principal Microbiologist, Food Standards Australia New Zealand
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Role of Media in Public Health and Food Safety
The contributions of media and science writers to food safety
Douglas Powell PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University; Scientific Director, International Food Safety Network
Andrew Martin, Reporter, New York Times
Stephen Hedges, Reporter, Chicago Tribune
Philip Brasher, Washington Correspondent, Des Moines Register
Jim Pervor, Editor-in-Chief, Perishable Pundit
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch and Closing Remarks
John Kobayashi, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Washington School of Health