Events

GUEST SPEAKER- Primus Auditing Operations. Topics: Primus GFS V3.2 Review, Outlook for V4.0 and Organic Guidelines

Traceability expert RICK BUTTNER, will lead this traceability workshop. Industry members whose organization will be subject to compliance with the FDA's Food Traceability Rule will get hands-on support with starting their traceability plan. Learn the right approach for your organization and bounce ideas off your peers. Andy will help you build a sample sortable spreadsheet that you can take with you and use as a learning tool for your own operation. Be sure to bring examples of your case and pallet labels, and any other records that include the key data elements necessary for compliance.

Speakers:
Food Safety/Food Science Professors throughout CA will speak on education and academics of food safety technology, federal/regional issues and updates, and insight into curriculum that may improve applications in our operations.

Take a look back through a few of the major recalls in the US this past year with Nettie Drake. Her expertise in advising, consulting, and instructing in the human and animal food safety industry will guide the conversation around what issues were found, how they can be prevented, and what you can implement today in your programs to stay in compliance and mitigate contamination in your processes.

The FDA published a final rule that revises certain pre-harvest agricultural water provisions for covered produce in Subpart E of the Food Safety Modernization Act, Produce Safety Rule. Our guest speakers will go over the rule’s updates and changes of microbial quality criteria and testing requirements for pre-harvest agricultural water for covered produce and systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessments for hazard identification. Compliance for all covered produce growers will be in effect by 2027.

INSTRUCTOR: NETTIE DRAKE. The PCQI Version 2.0 training is officially here. This updated FDA recognized training course reflects the latest advancements in food safety and regulatory standards, ensuring that your skills and knowledge stay current in this evolving field.

Get clear on these two upcoming PrimusGFS 4.0 changes-what's new, what's expected, and how to adapt with confidence. This hands-on workshop will walk you through the updates, show what compliance looks like, and help you draft a simple, practical Food Safety Culture Plan.

Alex Hanley is the founder and CEO of Navigate Food Safety Solutions, a company that specializes in delivering programs and training to build capacity at the plant level and assist food safety teams in the creation of programs they can understand and maintain a food safety. He is a food safety expert, trainer and coach with more than 25 years experience in the industry, many of those as a Food Safety Auditor with particular expertise in standards benchmarked to the Global Food Safety initiative (GFSI.)

SPEAKER

Jennifer Garner, Ph.D.

Professor of Biology at Ventura College

This presentation provides a practical Microbiology 101 overview of foodborne pathogens commonly encountered in food safety work. The presentation covers the basics of bacteria and viruses that cause foodborne illness, including their structure, typical sources of contamination, and the ways they survive or resist common control measures.

This review and update meeting led by Primus Auditing Ops will go over crucial updates to the PGFS 4.0 Auditing Scheme. Growers, handlers, processors, and all food safety professionals will have updates to their respective module(s) that will be laid out in an easy, relaxed, conversational presentation to get ahead for the 4.0 rollout.

Module 9, IPM, will also be reviewed to understand the guidelines and expectations for this module addition. Expectations of growers, PCAs, and other growing operators for this module will be outlined for an easy transition to add to your current audit.

REGISTRATION OPENS APRIL 13th: VCFSA.ORG/EVENTS

Refreshments will be provided

Meeting is free to VCFSA members (3 attendees per company), Non-Members is $40, to be paid on-line at vefsa.org/events

Jose Rodrigues is a Senior Food Safety & Regulatory Consultant with more than 25 years of experience in food manufacturing, regulatory compliance, auditing, and technical training who will be conducting a focused 16-hour advanced course covering validation, verification, and monitoring within HACCP systems. Participants will learn how to evaluate control measures, assess PRP effectiveness, meet USDA/FDA/GFSI validation requirements, and apply scientific and operational data to strengthen food safety programs. This training will include real case studies, regulatory expectations, and practical tools for improving HACCP system performance.

Jose Rodrigues is a Senior Food Safety & Regulatory Consultant with more than 25 years of experience in food manufacturing, regulatory compliance, auditing, and technical training who will be conducting a focused 16 hour advanced course covering validation, verification, and monitoring within HACCP systems. Participants will learn how to evaluate control measures, assess PRP effectiveness, meet USDA/FDA/GFSI validation requirements, and apply scientific and operational data to strengthen food safety programs. This training will include real case studies, regulatory expectations, and practical tools for improving HACCP system performance.

Nathan Weber, Microbiologist, will be leading the Sanitation Basics Workshop which provides a foundational understanding of sanitation principles used in food and animal food processing environments. Effective sanitation is critical to preventing contamination, controlling pathogens, protecting equipment, and ensuring compliance at every level of the food chain. Please join us after the workshop for our member appreciation lunch (for all - current & prospective!), announcements, awards and updates.

REGISTRATION OPENS JULY 31st: VCFSA.ORG/EVENTS

Lunch will be provided

VCFSA members (3 attendees per company) - FREE

Non-Members - $40, to be paid on-line at vcfsa.org/events