SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - May 23, 2012) - The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) awarded the 2012 On the Front Line Award to Martha Lamont, director of the Monitoring Programs Division of the Agricultural Marketing Services, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The award was presented at a ceremony Tuesday, May 22 during APHL's 2012 Annual Meeting and 6th Environmental Laboratory Conference in Seattle, Washington.
Dr. Lamont is responsible for coordinating state laboratory work with multiple federal food safety laboratories and regulators in USDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency. She has worked closely with 15 state departments of agriculture, including four APHL member laboratories, to assure that food safety data is shared among partners via the Microbiological and Pesticide Data Programs. These data programs have led to increased funding, technology, training and staffing for both participating laboratories and state regulatory programs, which has permitted rapid integration of new testing technologies. At the international level, Ms. Lamont collaborates with foreign countries to set up pesticide residue programs.
"Martha Lamont is a champion of food safety," said Scott J. Becker, executive director of APHL. "She has successfully bridged across scientific disciplines and federal, state and local jurisdictions to enhance the nation's capability to respond to foodborne diseases."
The Association of Public Health Laboratories is a national nonprofit located in Silver Spring, MD, that is dedicated to working with members to strengthen governmental laboratories with a public health mandate. By promoting effective programs and public policy, APHL strives to provide public health laboratories with the resources and infrastructure needed to protect the health of US residents and to prevent and control disease globally.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Michelle M. Forman
240.485.2793
michelle.forman@aphl.org
