Fresh Summit panel relates risk management to profitability
Fresh Summit panel relates risk management to profitability
ORLANDO, FL -- A panel of three speakers at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit addressed a discussion of the formula that "Food Safety + Risk Management = Profitability."
The panelists were Bob Whitaker, chief science officer of the Newark, DE- based PMA; Rick Broderick, director of risk management for Harris Corp., based in Melbourne, FL; and Devon Zagory, senior vice president of food- safety and quality programs for NSF Davis Fresh, which is part of NSF International, headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI.
Scott Danner, chief operating officer of Liberty Fruit Co. Inc. in Kansas City, KS, moderated the workshop, held Oct. 25.
Dr. Whitaker noted that people all manage risks on a daily basis, with calculated risks such as walking across a street or driving a car being prime examples. He said that produce growers "manage risks every day" in their decision making.
As growers consider their own food-safety management program, he reminded them that "no one knows your operation better than you do," adding, "Don't leave that responsibility to someone else." He also noted that every company has one or two employees who know the breadth of a company operation, and those individuals are critical resources in considering the risks faced by a company.
As food-safety plans are set, Dr. Whitaker said that measurable programs need to be established, and beyond the specific steps of a food-safety program, "Make goals for the people who work for you." This process will bring "continual improvement."
Mr. Broderick said that a key to managing risks is to "expect the unexpected." In planning food-safety programs, operators need to ask themselves how much money they are willing to lose by having flaws in these programs. "You can avoid 100 percent of your risks by shutting your doors," he said.
As that is not an acceptable approach, the industry should identify, assess and model risks, with a plan for steps to mitigate the risk.
Mr. Broderick said that his own firm has adopted the abbreviation DWR -- do what's right -- to make its decision-making calls.
Dr. Zagory said that the produce industry tends to deny it has food-safety problems. Such thinking follows the wisdom, "No one has ugly children." He then followed a well-timed pause with the punch line, "Well, look around."
Dr. Zagory said that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention indicated that 76 million Americans suffer from food poisoning every year. Of those, as many as 8 million people -- or 2,000 a day -- become ill from tainted produce. These numbers "are not publicized," he said. "We are not doing as well as we think."
The panelists were Bob Whitaker, chief science officer of the Newark, DE- based PMA; Rick Broderick, director of risk management for Harris Corp., based in Melbourne, FL; and Devon Zagory, senior vice president of food- safety and quality programs for NSF Davis Fresh, which is part of NSF International, headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI.
Scott Danner, chief operating officer of Liberty Fruit Co. Inc. in Kansas City, KS, moderated the workshop, held Oct. 25.
Dr. Whitaker noted that people all manage risks on a daily basis, with calculated risks such as walking across a street or driving a car being prime examples. He said that produce growers "manage risks every day" in their decision making.
As growers consider their own food-safety management program, he reminded them that "no one knows your operation better than you do," adding, "Don't leave that responsibility to someone else." He also noted that every company has one or two employees who know the breadth of a company operation, and those individuals are critical resources in considering the risks faced by a company.
As food-safety plans are set, Dr. Whitaker said that measurable programs need to be established, and beyond the specific steps of a food-safety program, "Make goals for the people who work for you." This process will bring "continual improvement."
Mr. Broderick said that a key to managing risks is to "expect the unexpected." In planning food-safety programs, operators need to ask themselves how much money they are willing to lose by having flaws in these programs. "You can avoid 100 percent of your risks by shutting your doors," he said.
As that is not an acceptable approach, the industry should identify, assess and model risks, with a plan for steps to mitigate the risk.
Mr. Broderick said that his own firm has adopted the abbreviation DWR -- do what's right -- to make its decision-making calls.
Dr. Zagory said that the produce industry tends to deny it has food-safety problems. Such thinking follows the wisdom, "No one has ugly children." He then followed a well-timed pause with the punch line, "Well, look around."
Dr. Zagory said that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention indicated that 76 million Americans suffer from food poisoning every year. Of those, as many as 8 million people -- or 2,000 a day -- become ill from tainted produce. These numbers "are not publicized," he said. "We are not doing as well as we think."
