By the International Dairy Foods Association

Michael R. Taylor is the Deputy Commissioner for Foods in the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationA look at recalls related to Listeria monocytogenes and responses from regulators will be featured throughout IDFA’s Regulatory RoundUP, June 16 to17, in Washington, D.C. Gary Kushner of Hogan Lovells International LLP and John Sheehan of the Food and Drug Administration will discuss what the industry can do to prevent future recalls, how regulators are addressing the issue and what dairy companies can do to prepare for inspections.

Regulatory RoundUP provides two days of information-packed, interactive sessions between dairy industry professionals and key government regulators.

Mike Taylor (pictured), the deputy commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration, will return this year as the keynote speaker to discuss implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Taylor, who oversees the FDA’s work on all things related to food safety, including FSMA, will provide an overview of the supplemental rules published for comment last fall and the agency’s implementation strategy for finalizing the rules this year. He’ll also discuss readying the inspection force and industry for when the rules go into effect starting in 2016.

In addition, Audrey Rowe, administrator of the Food Nutrition Service for the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will discuss the role milk and dairy products play in the federal nutrition programs.

Advocacy Days, IDFA's annual policy event, follows Regulatory RoundUP

Regulatory RoundUP will be followed by Advocacy Days, IDFA’s annual policy fly-in for members. Advocacy Days will be held June 17-18 in Washington, D.C. 

Formerly known as Washington Conference, the program will include many popular events from the past, including a briefing by IDFA’s top policy experts on pending legislation that will affect dairy processors, and face-to-face meetings with members of Congress and administration officials.The back-to-back IDFA events are designed to bring dairy leaders face to face with the legislators and regulators who are shaping the policies and rules that are important to the industry.

Members who register for Regulatory RoundUP will receive complimentary admission to Advocacy Days.

For more details and to register, visit the Regulatory RoundUP.