Pennsylvania Agriculture, Health
Secretaries Kick Off Statewide Food Safety Tour
Source of Article: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Pennsylvania-Agriculture-Health-Secretaries-Kick/story.aspx?guid=%7B0B30F3E0-EA3F-4AA1-BD7D-B379EDC0B39F%7D
Last
update: 2:52 p.m. EST Nov. 3, 2008
HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov 03, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire
via COMTEX/ -- Pennsylvanians Urged to Participate in Food Safety Round Table
Discussions
Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff and Acting Health
Secretary Everette James today kicked off the first
leg of a statewide tour focused on food safety that included stops in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties.
The tour is part of the Strategy for Agriculture and Food
Excellence, or SAFE, initiative, which is a comprehensive plan to address
food safety and defense from the farm to the fork.
"Our modern food supply is complex and includes many
steps from the initial production in the field to the final product served to
consumers," said Wolff. "These tours are an important step in
understanding the precautions Pennsylvania
producers, companies, manufacturers and organizations are taking to ensure
the safety of our food supply."
During day one of the four-part tour, Wolff and James
visited Turkey Hill Dairies in Conestoga, Lancaster
County; Rice Fruit in Gardners, Adams County;
Hanson Technologies in Carlisle, Cumberland
County; and the Central Pennsylvania
Food Bank in Harrisburg, Dauphin County.
"Everyone plays a role in assuring the safety of our
food supply," James said. "When working together, commonwealth
producers, suppliers and consumers, along with state and federal food safety
agencies, can make our food as safe as possible. If problems do occur, we are
committed to quickly recognizing and containing any and all food safety
threats."
Other stops on the tour include public round table
discussions featuring consumer testimony about food safety. The discussions
will be held at the Penn State Food Science Building, University Park, at 3
p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7; Columbia County Extension Office, Bloomsburg, at 7
p.m. on Monday, Nov. 10; and Westmoreland County Conservation District
Center, Greensburg, at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17.
"The SAFE initiative sends a clear message to all
Pennsylvanians that we are committed to protecting their health through a
safe, nutritious and abundant food supply," said James.
"I urge all Pennsylvanians to increase their
awareness of issues surrounding food safety and am looking forward to key
stakeholders participating in these round table meetings," added Wolff.
"Information shared during these discussions is invaluable and will be
brought back to Harrisburg
to develop consumer-focused food safety and security protocols and practices
and facilitate coordination among federal, regional, state and local
efforts."
SAFE is a cooperative effort between the Pennsylvania
departments of Agriculture and Health, in coordination with the Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security, as well as input
from food processors, retailers and health officials.
CONTACT: Nicole L. C. Bucher (Ag)
717-787-5085
Holli Senior (Health)
717-787-1783
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us
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