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/Job Opportunities/SFP Blog/Trainings/ Laws&Regs
 

Registration Is Now Open!
Free Inspector Boot Camp Training Is Back

AFDO is again hosting its one-of-a-kind “Inspector Boot Camp” in 2023 on Tuesdays, January 10, 17, and 24. Each day will include a four-hour training session; select the morning (East Coast edition, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST) or the afternoon (West Coast edition, 1:00 to 5 p.m. EST). Registration will automatically close once the sessions are full at 450 people.
 
The live virtual training is geared to both retail and manufactured food inspectors (with two years or less experience). Sessions cover both soft and technical skills, followed by interactive facilitated breakout discussions. The goal of this training is for all participants to share experiences, hear from other inspectors and jurisdictions, learn from each other, and network – all while gaining additional tools and knowledge to help be better prepared in the field.
 
During this training, inspectors will:

  • Apply more risk-based approaches to conduct quality inspections
  • Learn how to leverage evidence to support the writing of accurate, valid inspection reports
  • Identify the signs of an effective (or ineffective) pest control system
  • Identify strategies to effectively de-escalate conflict and potential violence
  • Modify body language to offset cultural differences and respect diversity while overcoming language barriers
Inspectors from local, state, and federal jurisdictions with two years or less experience in their food safety careers are encouraged to register as individual participants. When signing up, select either the East or West Coast registration option. All participants will attend the initial January 10 session covering soft skills and general training topics. Then attendees will select retail food and/or manufactured food tracks for technical training.

This training has been approved for up to 12 CEUs through NEHA. Participants will receive a certificate of completion for each date of training and are encouraged to attend at least two (if not all three) of the training dates to take advantage of the complete topics.

FREE registration here. 


Advanced Boot Camp Coming Soon

In addition to the Inspector Boot Camp, AFDO has added two virtual Advanced Boot Camp training days. These will be held on Wednesday, February 8, and Wednesday, February 15, 2023. If you attended boot camp in 2022 or have more than two years of experience, these sessions are for you. More details, including the registration link for the Advanced Boot Camp, will be available Monday, December 12. 

The Advanced Boot Camp will cover information for both retail and manufactured food-focused inspectors. During this training, inspectors will:

  • Understand how to identify special processes and review food safety plans
  • Recognize and shape Food Safety Culture using proven behavior science principles
  • Identify what makes a foodborne illness investigation different from our routine work
  • Feel empowered to be a lifelong learner and understand the benefits of this mind-set

If you have questions about these free training opportunities or would like more information, please email Autumn Schuck at aschuck@afdo.org.

Updated 11/28/2022

Health Canada Rep to AFDO Board Addresses Parliament


Linsey Hollet, director at Health Canada and Canada Representative to the AFDO Board, answered questions last month about pediatric acetaminophen shipments to Canada from the United States and Australia. 

While she wasn’t able to disclose exact quantities shipped because it's considered confidential business information, Hollet did explain how fair and equitable distribution is determined. 

“You’ve heard a lot on the importance that we placed on collaboration and a multi-stakeholder approach to this shortage. That is coming to benefit us greatly … by having these open communication chains with pediatric hospitals, with provinces and territories, with healthcare professionals, we will have also a very good line of sight on where need is the greatest,” said Hollet.

See video of committee proceedings.
Posted 12/5/2022

Discover FoodSHIELD  
FoodSHIELD News of the Week – See Us at RRT

AFDO eNews is showcasing FoodSHIELD and its secure online collaboration tools that are available to regulatory professionals at no cost. Except for this special notice, each installment of the eNews series will focus on one of the platform’s capabilities or tools, which are all designed with food safety and public health collaboration in mind.

Visit Us at the December Rapid Response Team Annual Meeting  

You’ve been reading about new FoodSHIELD tools and features every other week. We know that seeing is believing, so you are invited to see a FoodSHELD demonstration and information at the Rapid Response Team (RRT) annual Face-to-Face Meeting December 5-7, 2022, in Long Beach, California. Meeting attendees will be the first to view new informational brochures about FoodSHIELD and the popular tools that are available at no cost through the FoodSHIELD platform. During the meeting breaks, stop by the FoodSHIELD booth to get specific questions answered and see a demo of specific tools.

If you are not attending the RRT Face-to-Face meeting, you can reach out to AFDO’s Randy Treadwell to ask specific questions, request a demo, or talk about the various tools available. 
Not a FoodSHIELD member? Go to foodshield.org/members.cfm to sign up. Contact Treadwell at rtreadwell@afdo.org with any questions or to request a demo.

Posted 11/28/2022

Food Traceability Rule Webinar Set for December 7



New requirements have been identified in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act Food Traceability Final Rule. Persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the Food Traceability List (FTL) will be required to maintain records containing key data elements associated with specific critical tracking events and provide this information to the FDA within a reasonable time frame. The new requirements will allow for faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and/or deaths.

Learn More

The FDA will hold an informational webinar Wednesday, December 7, 2022, that will provide an overview of the final rule, including the foods and entities covered by the rule, explain the exemptions from the rule, and discuss the record-keeping requirements of the rule.

Register for the webinar

All questions regarding the Food Traceability Final Rule should be directed to the FSMA Technical Assistance Network.

The final rule is a key component of FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint and implements Section 204(d) of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.

Posted 12/5/2022

User Experience Pro Joins AFDO

 

Marie Kyle has joined the AFDO team as the new Experience Design Coordinator. She brings her expertise in user advocacy, usability, information architecture, interaction, and visual design to help make AFDO’s digital product collaborations more intuitive for all types of users. Before joining the team, Kyle worked alongside AFDO as a consulting partner for the past two years and was instrumental in the design and user research that went into the development of afdo.org’s relaunch. Prior to her work on the relaunch, Kyle spent 16 years working with multidisciplinary teams from a wide range of start-ups, nonprofits, and private sector clients such as T-Mobile, Fidelity Investments, and the United Nations. Empathy drives Kyle’s desire to assist in the development of accessible digital ecosystems and has led to her extensive experience in the UX field.

With a focus on making people’s lives easier through technology, Kyle will assist with the development of technology that will allow government and industry professionals to be more effective in regulating the food and medical-product environment for increased consumer safety.
Posted 12/5/2022

HP2030 Norovirus Committee Seeks Experts


This workgroup is focused on HP2030 Developmental Objective: FS‑D06: Reduce the number of norovirus outbreaks. Developmental objectives offer an opportunity to explore high-priority areas without reliable baseline data but with established evidence-based interventions. This workgroup will use this developmental objective as a framework to control and prevent norovirus outbreaks in retail food environments. The efforts are focused on the following three goals:

  • Goal 1: Increase compliance with behaviors and practices related to proper handwashing, employee health, and no bare-hand contact with RTE food.
  • Goal 2: Identify and apply evidence-based strategies to implement Food Safety Culture (emphasizing Employee Health).
  • Goal 3: Identify and apply achievable, effective Tools to Aid in the Fight Against Norovirus Spread.

The HP 2030 Norovirus Workgroup is looking for motivated and energetic team players to volunteer five to 10 hours a week and help move these national goals forward. More information about available positions and their duties can be found here. If you have questions about the workgroup, please contact Beth Wittry at xks5@cdc.gov.

If you are passionate about public health and believe you can make a difference with these goals and activities, please submit a statement of interest (one-page maximum) with your resume or curriculum vita to Christi Woodruff, Christi.Woodruff@fda.hhs.gov by Tuesday January 17, 2023.  

Posted 12/5/2022

Partners Announce Grant Opportunity 

Conference Grants Are Available for Attending Milk and Shellfish Conferences  

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC), the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS), and the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) have announced that grant funds are available for attending the ISSC and NCIMS in 2023.

Key dates and other details:
  • Grant portal opens December 9, 2022, through January 20, 2023.
  • Awards will be capped at $5,400 per application, allowing three or four attendees per agency.
  • Award notices will go out in late February/early March.
  • Funds cannot be used to cover registration fees.
  • Funds cannot be used to cover car rentals.
  • Grant guidance for this portal opening will soon be posted on the AFDO Milk and Shellfish Grant Program website. 

How to Apply for Funding

To find the most up-to-date information about this funding opportunity, visit the AFDO Milk and Shellfish Grants website at https://www.afdo.org/grants/msgrants. The portal will open for CY 2023 equipment applications in February/March 2023.
Posted 11/28/2022

Position Closes This Week
SAFHER Implementation Position Is Open

 
 

AFDO is looking to add a team member to the System for Agriculture, Food, Health, E-Inspections, and Registrations (SAFHER) team. The position is SAFHER Implementation Manager. This key position will be a strategic and supportive partner for state programs through the entire implementation of SAFHER, including pre-project needs assessment, project planning, execution, closure, and ongoing customer care. Candidates must have experience working in one or more of the following regulatory programs: animal food, fertilizer, seeds, or pesticides. Qualified persons can be inspectors, administrators, or program managers in these areas.

The position is remote. Candidates can expect to start sometime in January 2023. The position is full-time with benefits (401K, healthcare, paid vacation days); a salary range is available upon request.

If interested, please send your resume and cover letter to AFDO CIO/SAFHER Director Kellie Isaac at kisaac@afdo.org and SAFHER Deputy Director, Jennifer Pierquet at jpierquet@afdo.org by December 9, 2022.

For more information, see job description.

Posted 11/28/2022

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Job Opportunities

AFDO has launched a career platform, foodsafetycareers.org, to highlight regulatory food safety job postings for state and federal agencies (and LHDs if submitted). The site offers state-by-state general hiring specifications and a heat map of regulatory food jobs. State agencies are able to sign up for job manager accounts for direct adding/editing of agency job postings and to search resumes for potential candidates. Please email any current local, state, or federal government job postings directly to careercenter@afdo.org. Include the following information: (1) a link to the job post, (2) a few sentences to describe the position(s), and (3) the closing deadline date. For questions or support on job postings, please contact Jessica Badour, jbadour@afdo.org.

These Just In
New Position Opening Additions

South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (SDDANR) is seeking an Agriculture Inspector(s) within the Inspection, Compliance, and Remediation Program (ICRP). Duties and responsibilities include conducting inspections of locations storing, selling, and/or applying feed, fertilizer, pesticides, dairy, seed, plant pest control, noxious weeds, apiary, and eggs; inspect business establishments, facilities, agencies, equipment, products, and individuals; collect samples products for sale or use in South Dakota; investigate reports of adverse incidents; investigate pesticide drift complaints and spills; recommend or take enforcement action to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations concerning the storage, sale, and use or misuse of agricultural products; provide services in support of the international and interstate movement of commodities and other duties as assigned. Learn more and apply by 12/06/22 (tomorrow!).
 
Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Shellfish Sanitation seeks an Environmental Health Specialist, Sr., to help promote and protect public health safety. Join as one of three environmental health specialists in the Kilmarnock Field Office responsible for implementation of field activities in support of the public health program to minimize risks associated with consumption of shellfish and crustacea. These responsibilities include interpretation and application of environmental laws, regulations, policies and procedures to determine compliance; operation of small boats to perform field assessments and sample collection in shellfish growing areas; conducting on-shore surveys to assess potential pollution sources that may adversely affect shellfish growing areas; conducting shellfish and crustacea facility inspections to assess food safety and sanitation practices; conducting reviews of shellfish and crustacea processing facility plans and specifications; and providing education and technical assistance to shellfish harvesters and processors. Learn more and apply by 12/07/22.
 
New Mexico Department of Agriculture seeks an Inspector, Intermediate in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area. NMDA promotes food protection, a uniform and fair marketplace, and global marketing and economic development; supports beneficial use of natural resources; and works cooperatively with public and private sector entities. Primary job duties will include measuring device inspection, Package inspection, egg grading inspection, UPC inspections, chile advertising inspections. This position may be underfilled as an NMDA Inspector, Associate on a career development plan if unable to fill at the NMDA Inspector, Intermediate. Learn more and apply by 12/12/22.
 
Texas Department of Health position for an Environmental Protection Specialist I in its Retail program to serve the Midland region of the state closes soon. Incumbent conducts routine inspections of medium and low risk permitted and non-permitted establishments such as foodservice establishments and public environmental facilities that operate institutional sanitation, recreational sanitation or public sanitation type facilities. Learn more and apply by 12/12/22.
 
California Department of Agriculture has a limited-term 12-month position for an Environmental Specialist (with the option to become permanent) in their Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety (MPES) Branch. The incumbent is responsible for complex scientific analysis and evaluation of regulatory operations and practices related to environmental health and food safety including, but not limited to, conducting investigations of regulated facilities as required and assuring conformance with state and federal laws and regulations governing the formulation and labeling of meat and poultry products. Learn more and apply by 12/13/22.
 
Missouri Department of Agriculture currently has multiple open positions:

  • Meat & Poultry Inspector in Central MO. The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MDA’s MPIP) works closely with meat and poultry processors, livestock producers, and retailers to ensure only safe, wholesome, properly labeled meat and poultry products enter commerce. The candidate for this position will work in meat and poultry processing and/or slaughter establishments with the owners, managers, and employees of these establishments. The candidate must reside in Boone, Cole or Moniteau Counties. Learn more and apply by 12/14/22.
  • Feed and Seed Inspector in South-Central MO. The inspector assists the states feed and seed industry though inspecting and testing product and providing information to consumers assisting in their buying decisions. The applicant must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, Christian, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Howell, Laclede, Ozark, Polk, Pulaski, Taney, Texas, Webster or Wright counties. The job requires daily travel using a provided vehicle to the assigned region to inspect feed and seed establishments for licensure and compliance with Missouri, USDA and FDA statutory governing product manufacture, labeling and distribution. Learn more and apply by 12/14/22.
 
Indiana Department of Health is hiring for two open positions:
  • Retail Food Safety Regulator (Food Scientist) in Greencastle. The incumbent will be responsible for functioning as a specialist in food protection through enforcement of laws, rules, and regulations governing the production processing, packaging, and distribution of foods by conducting inspections. This position will also conduct food inspections based on risk assessment, priority, and necessary frequency; provide consultation services, training and education, certification evaluations, act as editor to publish the quarterly newsletter, and maintain regulatory inspection records. Learn more and apply.
  • Manufactured Foods Regulator in Lafayette (remote). This role functions as a senior level wholesale food establishment specialist through education and enforcement of laws, rules and regulations governing the production, processing, packaging and distribution of foods. The incumbent will conduct inspections, collect surveillance samples, interpret Code of Federal Regulations, statutes, administrative rules and guidance documents, and apply enforcement procedures as necessary to maintain compliance. This position conducts food inspections based on risk assessment, priority and necessary frequency, specializing in providing consultation services to food manufacturers, food distribution facilities, food protection staff members, governmental agencies, trade associations and the general public, and maintains regulatory inspection records in the electronic database. Learn more and apply.

 
VA’s Rappahannock Rapidan Health District (RRHD) seeks an Environmental Health Supervisor to join their team, which is part of the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and serves the residents from Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties. The position oversees both Culpeper and Orange Environmental Health Offices, reporting to the Environmental Health Manager and provides support and supervision to (3) environmental health specialists. Learn more and apply by 12/11/22.
 
INTERNSHIPS
 
Missouri – Summer Intern – Grain Inspection: Missouri Department of Agriculture, Division of Grain Inspection & Warehousing, is accepting applications for a Summer 2023 internship based in Jefferson City with travel (vehicle provided for travel beyond Jefferson City office). The position will be full-time from approximately mid-May through mid-Aug. 2023. Intern will gain hands-on experience in department’s role in regulating the state's grain industry and protecting its grain producers; establish lasting relationships with leaders in Missouri's grain industry; participate with Grain Regulatory auditors as they conduct onsite inspections and inventories; receive training in the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) grain sampling procedures; interact and work alongside employees as they weigh and load unit trains and barges destined for the export market; and obtain experience and knowledge in the grain industry distribution network. Learn more and apply by 12/16/22.
 
Missouri – Summer Intern – Animal Health: The Missouri Dept of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health, is accepting applications for a Summer 2023 internship based in Jefferson City with travel (vehicle provided for travel beyond Jefferson City office). The position will be full-time from approximately mid-May through mid-Aug. 2023. Intern will learn the daily activities of the Animal Health Division within the Department; work in the Animal Care Facilities Act program (ACFA); work in the Poultry Health Program; experience the Meat & Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP); learn about the Animal Health Labs (Jefferson City and Springfield); ride along with District Veterinarians and work extensively at the Missouri State Fair in August. Learn more and apply by 12/16/22.
 

Other Training Opportunities

Paster Training, Inc. is now Cenza+

Cenza, Inc. —  Food and Alcohol consulting and training for every sector of the food and alcohol industries
The education you need from experienced consultants and trainers.

FSMA Training - VIRTUAL and CLASSROOM AVAILABLE  Dates and Times available on the Paster/Cenza+ website.
  • Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF), Full and Part 2
  • Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessment (IAVA)
  • Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), Full and Part 2
  • Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)
Retail Training – VIRTUAL and CLASSROOM AVAILABLE  Dates and Times available on the Paster/Cenza+ website.
  • Certified Protection Food Manager (CPFM)
  • Food Handler/Food Employee
  • HACCP Manager
  • HACCP Employee
  • Food Defense
  • Seafood HACCP
  • SPANISH TRAINING AVAILABLE
Not seeing what you need? Visit PasterTraining.com/www.CenzaSmart.com or call 610-970-1776 to inquire about consulting services or any public/private food safety class.

The Food Safety Doctor LLC 

Promoting Public Health and Food Safety through Training and FSMA Awareness
 

    ONLINE Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PCQI) Courses

  • December 6-8, 2022
  • December 13-15, 2022
  • January 10-12, 2023

               Click here to access the schedule of PCQI courses

   ONLINE Foreign Supplier Verification Courses (FSVP-QI) Courses

  • November 8-9, 2022
  • January 17-18, 2023

                Click here to access the schedule of FSVP-QI courses

Online Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Qualified Individuals (IAVA-QI) Courses

  • November 17, 2022
  • January 24, 2023

                   Click here to access the schedule of IAVA-QI courses

 

Federal Register Updates 

Federal Register Update

A collection of current food, drug, device, and consumer product regulatory issues and news


November 29 - 30, 2022
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