Michael Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will present the keynote address Wednesday, September 10 at the Breakfast General Session of The Washington Conference. Deputy Commissioner Taylor will provide an update on the FDA’s rulemaking for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FDA has proposed several rules under FSMA that could have significant impact on the fresh produce industry and the safety of our nation’s fresh produce.
"We look forward to hearing from Mike Taylor about FDA’s new supplemental proposals, as well as FDA’s vision going forward in FSMA implementation," said Tom Stenzel, United’s president and CEO. "It’s a rare opportunity to hear directly from the FDA's lead food official and one of the highest food safety authorities in the federal government about implementation of the complex FSMA law.”
Taylor's food safety resume is distinguished, starting his FDA career in 1976 as a litigating attorney. He then served as FDA's Deputy Commissioner for Policy from 1991 to 1994, overseeing FDA's policy development and rulemaking, including the implementation of the Nutrition Labelling and Education Act and issuance of new seafood safety rules. From 1994 to 1996, he served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety. During that time, he spearheaded public health-oriented reform of the FSIS. From 2000 until his appointment as Deputy Commissioner for Foods in July 2009, Taylor has worked in academic and research settings on the challenges facing the nation's food safety system and ways to address them.
"United Fresh values ongoing dialogue and cooperation with FDA about FSMA implementation,” said Stenzel. “We appreciate hearing from Mike Taylor at The Washington Conference about FDA’s work to make the FSMA regulations workable and effective for the entire produce supply chain.”
Also on September 10, conference attendees can participate in United’s Forum at FDA, where they will have the unique opportunity to meet with FDA officials and ask questions about FSMA and other regulatory issues that are affecting their produce operations.
