The Processors' Food Safety Toolkit was developed by a consortium of food safety experts, academics, regulators, and practitioners from the Northeast United States that makes up the Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety. It seeks to connect food processors with the resources necessary to comply with the Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
The Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety (NECAFS) is one of four FDA/USDA funded regional centers tasked with coordinating training, education and outreach related to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule. NECAFS work focuses on coordination and facilitation of the Northeast regional network to support a national food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance system among small and medium-sized producers and small processors.
Acknowledgements
The project has been led by Annie Fitzgerald at NECAFS and Elizabeth Demmings, Ph.D., at the Institute for Food Safety at Cornell University with support from Elizabeth Newbold and Chris Callahan at NECAFS.
We are grateful for the time and expertise of the PCHF Resources Subgroup Participants:
- Jason Bolton, Ph.D., Extension Professor and Food Safety Specialist, Program Administrator for Aquaculture, Food, Innovation, and Nutrition, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Area Coordinator of the Innovation Program, University of Maine Business School
- Amanda Chin, former Student and Extension Outreach Researcher, University of Massachusetts Food Science Program
- Cathy Davies, CEO, Food Industry Employment Program
- Chelsea Matzen, former FSMA Project Director, National Farmers Union
- Billy Mitchell, former FSMA Training Coordinator, National Farmers Union
- Michele Pfannenstiel, CEO, Dirigo Food Safety
- Rohan Tikekar, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Maryland
- Christopher Von Achen, former Student and Extension Research Assistant, University of Massachusetts Food Science Program
We also thank the following Preventive Controls for Human Food Working Group Members who contributed significantly to the research, writing, analysis, and promotion contained in the project resources:
- Andrea Gilbert-Eckman, Graduate Assistant, University of Maryland
- Luke LaBorde, Ph.D., Professor of Food Science, Penn State University
- Amanda Kinchla, Extension Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Nicole Richard, Research Associate/Food Safety Education Specialist, University of Rhode Island
- Dave Seddon, MBA, RD, LD, Food Safety Specialist/Auditor, FoodReady.ai & Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative
Web design by Pete Land, Tamarack Media Cooperative
The educational resources on this website are not intended to provide, nor should they be construed as providing, legal advice. Any information presented therein is purely for educational purposes.
Funding for NECAFS is made possible, in part, by the Food Safety Outreach Program grant no. 2021-70020-35497 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work.