Bob Whitaker, recently retired, served as the chief science and technology officer for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). In that role, Bob was responsible for food safety, technology, supply chain management, and sustainability. He also served on the Center for Produce Safety's Board of Directors as well as on the California Leafy Greens Technical Committee. Prior to joining PMA, Bob spent 16 years in the biotechnology arena with DNA Plant Technology Corporation as a researcher, and then as vice president of fruit and vegetable R&D. Bob's career has also included roles at NewStar Fresh Foods and its subsidiary MissionStar Processing.

Bob earned his doctorate in biology from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Jennifer McEntire is the vice president of food safety and technology at United Fresh Produce Association. Before that, she was the vice president of science operations for the Grocery Manufacturers Association. She has also had roles as vice president and chief science officer at The Acheson Group and as the senior staff scientist and director of science and technology projects for the Institute of Food Technologists. She is an advisory board member of the Global Food Traceability Center, the technical committee of the Center for Produce Safety, and she serves on the executive committee of the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance.

Jennifer earned her Ph.D. from Rutgers University as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Needs Fellow in food safety. 

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bob and Jen [18:13] about:

• Today's most pressing food safety issues in the produce sector
• The importance of personal engagement and individual operations
• Traceability challenges
• The benefits of having an electronic-based traceability system 
• Working with the Romaine Task Force
• Changes with how irrigation water is treated
• Providing federal and government agencies with the industry knowledge they need to complete an outbreak investigation
• What information agencies need when they conduct a traceback investigation
• Traceability issues with commingled food commodities
• Why blockchain is not a magical solution

Bob's Articles in Food Safety Magazine
Latest Research Findings Hit on Produce Safety Priorities 
Confronting Food Safety Challenges Head-On in Produce 
The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Primary Production 
The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Sector Leaders Sharing Their Challenges and Recommended Practices

Jen's Articles in Food Safety Magazine
Fixing FSMA's Ag Water Requirements 
Environmental Monitoring in the Era of Whole-Genome Sequencing
Building Food Safety Leaders
Product Tracing in Food Systems: Legislation vs. Reality

News Mentioned in This Episode
Chipotle's Use of Nurses to Verify Employee Cases of Norovirus [2:52]
2020 Goals for the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service [7:41]
The Frozen Food Listeria Lot Risk Assessment Tool [9:39]
Update: Tyson Foods Wins Lawsuit Against USDA [15:27]

Sponsored by:

Safe Food California
Safe Food Alliance

Adam Holt, BCE is a Board Certified Entomologist with decades of hands-on experience. He is the Founder and Principal Consultant at NameDatBug, a pest control consulting firm grounded in real-world success across every level of the pest control industry. Adam has held executive roles at several PCT Top 100 companies and brings unmatched industry expertise to every engagement. He holds a patent for an electronic rodent monitoring device, has worked in pest control software development, and has collaborated closely with manufacturers and distributors on both product design and market strategy.

Shannon Sked, Ph.D., BCE is an entomologist and the National Technical Director at Orkin. He received a B.S. degree from Rutgers University, an M.S. degree in Entomology from Penn State University, and a Ph.D. from Rutgers' Urban IPM Entomology lab. Dr. Sked's research focuses on distribution and temporal modeling of insect and rodent communities in order to design effective pest management programs. He began his career as a Navy Entomologist overseeing structural pests, specifically focusing on pests related to imports, exports, and within the logistics chain for Navy operations. He had the unique opportunity to practice applied entomology and invasive species management in the Middle East, North Africa, the Caribbean, and the eastern shore of the U.S.  

Michael Ciepiela is Vice President of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Southern Specialties. He brings over a decade of diverse experience in the food and beverage industry, along with experience in the pharmaceutical sector, specializing in quality assurance and food safety. Throughout his career, he has excelled in multi-site implementation and adherence to GFSI requirements and regulations. Michael has also been instrumental in promoting and educating Lean Six Sigma principles in fast-paced, cross-departmental settings. As a recognized thought leader, he frequently speaks at national conferences. He is also a senior member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ). Michael holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Alfred University and a Six Sigma Master Black Belt from Villanova University.

Mindy Brashears, Ph.D. is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Under Secretary for Food Safety. She previously served as Under Secretary for Food Safety from 2020–2021, and Deputy Under Secretary in 2019. Dr. Brashears returns to USDA from Texas Tech University, where she was a Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Public Health, the Roth and Letch Family Endowed Chair for Food Safety, and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence.

Carmen Rottenberg is a leader in food safety and agriculture policy, serving as Managing Director of Groundswell Strategy a Board Member for the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Prior to launching Groundswell Strategy, Carmen served as Administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Over her 13 years with USDA, Carmen held several leadership roles and was credited with spearheading key agency initiatives including modernizing food safety inspection systems and establishing and updating pathogen performance standards. Carmen has extensive experience achieving collaboration across federal, state, and municipal agencies including with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with state departments of agriculture and across USDA's 29 agencies and offices.

Jules Shepard is the CEO and Founder of gfJules, the number-one‑voted gluten‑free flour and baking mixes company in the United States. A recognized gluten‑free baking expert, she has authored three award‑winning books in the field and recently released a new cookbook dedicated to gluten‑free bread. A long‑standing and respected leader in the gluten‑free and food allergy community, Jules championed the gluten‑free food labeling movement in 2011. Her tireless advocacy, education, and lobbying efforts culminated in her receiving the first‑ever "Gluten Free Person of the Decade" award in 2020.

Lily Yasuda is the Deputy Director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, where she leads national initiatives that bring together food industry leaders to strengthen food safety culture and support continuous learning across the sector.

Athenais Boeffard is a collaborative and people-focused production leader with over a decade of experience in food manufacturing and food safety. 

John Boyce has over 45 years of experience in various aspects of food production, food safety, quality assurance, sanitation, training, and auditing.