Who writes the rules and regulations governing the dairy industry? If you answered “faceless bureaucrats,” then you are due for a trip to Washington, D.C., on June 24. That’s the start of Regulatory RoundUP, a new day-and-a-half event sponsored by the International Dairy Foods Association.

According to IDFA, “most dairy industry professionals only come face-to-face with regulators when an inspector knocks on their door.”

IDFA’s Regulatory RoundUP (June 24 and 25) gives dairy executives an opportunity to hear first-hand from “the decision-makers and the regulation officials who have direct responsibility for the rules that affect dairy plants, products and personnel. The conference will help dairy professionals better understand the intent behind federal regulations, the parameters for compliance and how best to engage in the process to shape pending regulations.”

The Regulatory RoundUP is scheduled before the IDFA’s annual Washington Conference, which features comprehensive policy and regulatory discussions with key federal officials and legislators. Regulatory RoundUP is open to all dairy professionals, including those who are not members of IDFA.

FDA deputy commissioner Mike Taylor is keynote speaker at Regulatory RoundUP

Mike Taylor

Keynote speaker is Mike Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration. At his luncheon address on June 24, Taylor will talk about the newest food safety regulations, guidelines, timing for implementation and upcoming changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Speaking at the seminar “Protecting American Food and Agriculture from Terrorism" are LeeAnne Jackson (Health Science Policy Advisor, Food and Drug Administration), Carrie Moore (Senior Advisor, National Security Policy Staff, US Department of Agriculture), Josh Bornstein (Senior Policy Advisor, National Security Policy Staff, US Department of Agriculture) and John Martin (Food and Agriculture Lead Sector Infrastructure Analyst, Department of Homeland Security).

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition experts speak on nutrition facts label changes

Panelists on the program “Stay a Step Ahead of Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label” are: Paula Trumbo and Jill Kevala from Nutrition Programs, Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Kathryn Boor, the dean of the Ronald P. Lynch College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University is giving a talk titled"Strategies for Growth in the Dairy Industry – a Systems Approach.”

Diane Lewis (director, Dairy Grading and Standards Division, USDA/AMS) leads a discussion titled “Inspectors at the Door: A Guide to USDA’s Grading and Inspection Programs.”

On June 25, John Sheehan (director of Dairy and Egg Safety, FDA/CFSAN) speaks on “What’s Next: Upcoming Dairy Food Safety Activities at FDA.” Following his seminar is “Making Up The Rules: How Regulations Are Created” led by representatives of Hogan Lovells Attorney.

Walt Tunnessen (Energy Star national program manager from the Environmental Protection Agency) speaks on “Energy Star’s Meteoric Rise to Success.” Concluding the event is “The Secrets of Selling to Federal Nutrition Programs” by Robert C. Post (chief science officer, FoodMinds LLC and the former acting executive director of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion).

IDFA Vice President Clay Detlefsen told Dairy Foods that dairy executives who deal with federal regulatory compliance issues will benefit from attending. It’s an opportunity to “understand the [regulatory] process” and to see “how the sausage is made,” Detlefsen said.

Besides listening to government officials, dairy executives will have the chance to speak with regulators in informal, off-the-record settings and ask them about unintended consequences of rules. One goal of the event, according to an IDFA spokeswoman, is for all interested parties to share their points of view and to understand why the rules are what they are.