Articles by Rance Baker

Foodborne illness prevention does not happen by chance. It depends on a workforce that is trained, credentialed, data-enabled, and supported by coordinated federal investment. These are the conditions that allow prevention to occur consistently across jurisdictions and over time—and current workforce research suggests each is under pressure.

Food safety education must move beyond delivering knowledge to give learners opportunities to practice applying what they know.

The Regulatory and Laboratory Training System (RLTS), built on the National Curriculum Standards, represents the next generation of training for regulatory food protection professionals. It is guided by a national steering committee that includes FDA, CDC, USDA, NEHA, NACCHO, APHL, AFDO, and other organizations.

As we observe World Food Safety Day on June 7, with the theme "Science in Action," we must remember that science only works when those responsible for acting on it are equipped to do so. Expectations for food safety inspections and investigations remain high in the U.S., but the workforce responsible for ensuring the safety of the food supply is shrinking.

Everyone is using a lot of resources during the coronavirus pandemic to solve the same problems. There must be a better way.