Timely and Informative Education Sessions Planned for 2012 Food Safety Summit "Solutions for Today, Planning for Tomorrow"

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - Oct 27, 2011) - The Food Safety Summit Executive Educational Advisory Committee (EEAC) has developed a three day conference program offering Solutions for Today, Planning for Tomorrow. The Summit will be offering full day sessions, 1/2 day workshops and dozens of 90-minute sessions being held April 17-19, 2012 in Washington, DC. There are several brand new sessions including an Industry-Foodborne Illness Investigation Training; Food Defense Workshop with the FDA; Updates on the Food Safety Modernization Act and the Reality of Meeting the Deliverables Mandated by Congress; Food Fraud: Economically Motivated Intentional Adulteration; and a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) session led by Yves Rey, Chairperson of GFSI, Corporate Quality General Manager, Danone.

"We have put several new initiatives into place for the 2012 Food Safety Summit, offering new sessions, new solutions and new workshops to address the growing need for cohesive industry information and hands-on training," said Scott Wolters, Director, Tradeshows and Conferences, BNP Media, the producers of The Food Safety Summit. "We would like to thank the industry-leading professionals who worked diligently to ensure we are addressing the most important and relevant topics for our attendees." The EEAC is comprised of processors, retailers, consultants, educators, foodservice and government professionals including:

• Gary Ades, President, G&L Consulting Group, LLC
• Will Daniels, Sr. Vice President, Operations and Organic Integrity, Earthbound Farm
• Oscar Garrison, Division Director, Consumer Protection, Georgia Department of Agriculture, and President of the Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO)
• Peter Good, Owner, Peter Good Seminars
• Craig Henry, ERS Director, Deloitte & Touche LLP
• Hal King, Sr. Manager, Food Safety, Chick-fil-A
• Susan Linn, Director Quality Assurance, Sysco Corporation
• Gina R. Nicholson, RS, Food Safety & Food Quality Subject Matter Expert, The Kroger Co.
• Tom Packer, Partner, Gordon & Rees
• John Spink, Associate Director and Assistant Professor of Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection Program, MSU, School of Criminal Justice
• Sharon Wood, Director, Food Safety & Environmental Affairs, HEB

"We are also pleased to announce that Oscar Garrison with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, who had a key role in the Peanut Corporation of America investigation, will provide the keynote address. Oscar will discuss the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act and the importance of demonstrating how the private sector can work with Public Health Departments, especially in time of crisis," added Wolters. The keynote presentation will be held on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 10:00 am immediately following the NSF Leadership Awards. Following his keynote, Garrison will lead a session on How to Work with Public Health Officials for Retailers, Manufacturing and Foodservice.

Oscar Garrison, Division Director, Consumer Protection, Georgia Department of Agriculture, and President of the Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO), is responsible for enforcing the Georgia Food Act and for monitoring the safety and wholesomeness of food products manufactured and sold in Georgia. Garrison is also the new President of the Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO) and past president of the Georgia Association of Food Protection and is a member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials and the International Association of Food Protection. He also served four years as a board member of the Georgia Environmental Health Association.

In addition to the extensive conference program The Food Safety Summit will also showcase a robust expo hall with exhibitors offering the latest solutions for food safety professionals. The exhibit hall will be open all three days of the event with two Exhibitor Showcase Theaters on the show floor offering attendees complimentary education sessions. Sponsors of the Food Safety Summit include Gold Sponsor Siemens, Silver Sponsor Covance, and Bronze Sponsor Alchemy.

About the Food Safety Summit
The Food Safety Summit will be held Tuesday, April 17 through Thursday, April 19, 2012 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Two full day pre conference workshops will be held on Monday, April 16^th. Details and registration information is available at www.foodsafetysummit.com. For more information, call 847/405-4000.