Food Safety Comes Naturally to Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, the Arkansas Hospitality Association, along with the UA System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service (CES) provide up-to-date information and education to food service managers in the private sector and to all of the state parks within the Arkansas system on an annual basis, Dr. Marcy says.

“The CES is working in cooperation with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission – Manufacturing Solutions to make the new FSMA Food Safety Preventive Controls for Human Foods training available throughout the state in a timely manner,” Dr. Marcy relates. “This includes the major rice processors in the state that came under this regulation on Monday, September 19, 2016.”

The CES hosts a quarterly informal educational exchange on HACCP and food safety between the poultry and meat processors from a four state area and the Springdale District Office of the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service Office of Field Operations, Dr. Marcy adds. “This HACCP roundtable has been in existence since November 1997,” he notes.

Moreover, the Poultry Federation also hosts the premier annual food safety meeting for all aspects of the poultry industry, in collaboration with UA. The 2017 meeting is scheduled for February 21 and 22 in Branson, Miss.

“The UA Bumpers College of Agricultural and Food Sciences offers an online master of science in food safety for those people working in industry to get the additional skills necessary to do the demanding task of producing safe food,” Dr. Marcy mentions. (Finstad is a graduate of this program.)

Food safety programs and initiatives in Arkansas are exceptional, says Peggy Cook, PhD, CFS, with Cargill Turkey and Cooked Meats Food Safety and Regulatory, Springdale. Cargill has additional presence in Arkansas, namely a Value Added Meats and Foodservice office in Booneville, AgHorizons United States, a grain and shipping operation in West Memphis, a Cargill Ag Supply Chain operation in Fayetteville, and a sales office in Bentonville, totaling 1,203 employees in the state.

“Arkansas stands out because of the support by, and focus on, the food industry resulting from the large scale of food production in the state,” Dr. Cook explains.

For its part, Cargill is a global company and contributes to food safety initiatives in Arkansas, she relates. “Ensuring the production and distribution of high quality, wholesome, affordable, and compliant products is core to Cargill’s commitment to the communities and customers we serve,” Dr. Cook emphasizes. “We communicate relevant food safety information both internally and externally. Cargill’s leadership is committed to providing resources that enable the company’s employees to fulfill their responsibility and continually improve the company’s programs and processes.”

Awesome Affiliate

Dr. Cook is the 2016 president of the Arkansas Association for Food Protection (AAFP), an exceptionally strong and active IAFP affiliate chapter.

Chartered in April 2009 under the co-leadership of Dr. Ricke and representatives of Tyson and Walmart, the AAFP includes members representing the world’s largest food companies. “We have the world’s largest retailer/grocer, the largest meat company, and leading distribution/refrigerated transport companies headquartered within our state,” Dr. Cook points out. “So AAFP membership includes an impressive and diverse group of food processors, produce, poultry, and livestock growers located around the state ranging from vegetables, fruit, prepared meals, canned foods, frozen foods, juices, wine, fresh meat, and sliced meats. We have nationally prominent schools of business and agriculture represented, including the CFS.”

The 250-member AAFP holds an annual two-day conference each September in downtown Fayetteville, complete with a tradeshow and a host of prominent U.S. food industry speakers.

“Because the food industry is so important to the state’s economy, we are fortunate that high profile food industry leaders come to participate in our conference,” Dr. Cook says, noting that the 2016 event drew some 300 attendees.