2022 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting
Save the date and mark your calendar for this year's NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting. We plan to hold a virtual pre-conference session ahead of a full virtual conference. In addition to the Annual Conference, we are excited to work together with the Northeast produce safety regulators in helping to organize their one-day virtual working meeting the day prior to the NECAFS Conference.
Date and Location Details
Meeting Dates
January 10th (Monday)
- Virtual NECAFS pre-conference meeting day
January 18th (Tuesday)
- Virtual Northeast Produce Safety Regulator one-day meeting
January 19th & 20th (Wednesday & Thursday)
- Virtual NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting
Meeting Location
All events will be fully virtual again in 2022. We really hoped that we'd be together in-person in Connecticut, but with all the uncertainties surrounding COVID, we've decided that it's best to host a virtual meeting this year.
Meeting Structure
- NECAFS pre-conference meeting day (Virtual)
The virtual NECAFS pre-conference meeting day on January 10th will host state and project update presentations and breakout group session discussions. This meeting is intended to provide time to reconnect, give updates on activities over the past 12 months, and complete some work ahead of the virtual Conference and Meeting the following week. The content will NOT be repeated at the NECAFS Conference and Meeting. Everyone is welcome to join, even if you are not able to attend the NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting. We encourage all those planning to attend the virtual conference to also attend the virtual pre-conference meeting day.
- Northeast Produce Safety Regulator one-day meeting (Virtual)
The virtual Northeast Produce Safety Regulator one-day meeting on January 18th is an opportunity for regulators and program staff in the Northeast to come together to discuss topics related to the state produce safety programs across the region. The regulator working meeting is intended for Northeast produce safety regulators and program staff only.
- NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting (Virtual)
The virtual NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting on January 19th & 20th will build off of the work completed during the virtual pre-conference meeting day and will host parallel sessions on Produce Safety and Preventive Controls for Human Food. The meeting will also host discussions of produce safety research needs based on on-farm inspections and On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) observational data. The NECAFS Conference is open to anyone from the food safety community who would like to attend.
Summary of 2021 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting
The 2021 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting was held jointly virtually, February 16th, 17th, & 18th, jointly with the Northeast Regulator One-Day Working Meeting. The agenda and meeting materials are provided below.
| Date | Session | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 16, 2021 | Regulator One Day Meeting | Welcome and Introductory Remarks
Mandatory Farm Registration
Group Exercise and Break Outs on Topics where Guidance is Lacking
Program Standards
Research and Education Needs
Concurrent Meetings
|
| Feb. 17, 2021 | Welcome and Plenary Session | Summary of next steps articulated at past Annual Meetings, NECAFS 2020 project outputs and collaboration exercises
|
| Produce Safety Workgroup Meeting | Welcome and Review Group’s Previous Discussion
Review of audit data from USDA
Report-out from regulator one-day working meeting, a consolidation of inspectional observations from across the region
Break Outs Groups
Break Out Groups
Break Out Groups
| |
| Preventive Controls for Human Food Workgroup Meeting | General FSPCA Updates
FDA Update: Overview and description of PC inspectional roll-out in the Northeast
PC Needs Assessment: Review of findings and gaps in data
Review of PC Sub-group Goals
Supgroup Updates | |
| Feb. 18, 2021 | Federal Updates | FDA CFSAN Northeast Update
|
Session Video Recordings
Welcome and Plenary
Produce Safety Workgroup Morning Session
Produce Safety Workgroup Afternoon Session
Preventive Controls Workgroup Morning Session
Preventive Controls Workgroup Afternoon Session
Federal Updates
Produce Safety Workgroup Day 2
Preventive Controls Workgroup Day 2
Report Out and Closing Remarks
Summary of 2020 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting
The 2020 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting was held February 10-12 in Philadelphia, PA, jointly with the Northeast Region Produce Safety Workgroup. The agenda and meeting materials are provided below.
Summary Report of 2020 Annual Conference and Meeting Evaluations
| Date | Session | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 11, 2020 | Breakfast and Welcome Remarks |
|
| Welcome and Plenary Session | Summary of next steps articulated at past Annual Meetings, NECAFS 2019 project outputs and collaboration exercises
| |
| Project Updates from the Region | Summary of projects across the region Project specific presentations
| |
| Produce Safety Workgroup Meeting | Produce Safety Alliance Update
Summary of On-Farm Readiness Review Evaluations
Growers Perspective – OFRR and Farm Inspections
Produce Safety Research Consortium
Group Discussion
| |
| Preventive Controls for Human Food Workgroup Meeting | Needs Assessment Review and Summary Results
FDA Update
FSPCA Update
Supgroup Updates | |
| Feb. 12, 2020 | Federal Updates |
|
| Produce Safety Needs Assessment Workgroup Meeting | Summary of Local Food Safety Collaborative Needs Assessment Survey Report
NECAFS Food Safety Needs Assessment Systematic Review
| |
| Buyer Workgroup Meeting | Welcome and Introduction to Meeting and Review of 2019 Albany Meeting and Developing a Handbook of Produce Safety Standards for Buyers
Vermont Produce Program: Buyer Outreach Initiative Development of State Implementation Matrix
|
Session Video Recordings
Highlight Video
Welcome and Project Updates from the Region
Produce Safety Workgroup Meeting
Preventive Controls Workgroup Meeting
Needs Assessment Meeting
Buyer Meeting
Workgroup Outputs and Next Steps
Summary of 2019 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting
The 2019 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting was held February 4-6 in Albany, NY, jointly with the Northeast Region Produce Safety Workgroup. The agenda and meeting materials are provided below.
Summary Report of 2019 Annual Conference and Meeting Evaluations
| Date / Time | Session | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| February 4 | Welcome Reception | None |
| February 5 | Plenary | NECAFS Highlights, Look Ahead, and Meeting Expectations - C. Callahan |
| State and Regional Updates | Summary of Regional State Updates (Report) - E. Newbold | |
Project Specific Presentations Rhode Island - L. Pivarnik, S. McCormick, A. Fraser National Young Farmers Coalition - C. Fraver - Slides Cornell Cooperative Extention - B. Williams Penn State Extention - M. Gorgo-Gourovitch Notes (included in State and Regional Update notes) | ||
| Produce Safety Workgroup | ||
Regulatory Focus Agenda | ||
| Preventive Controls for Human Food Workgroup | Slides | |
| February 6 | Federal Updates | FDA Updates - S. Hughes USDA AMS Updates - K. Peterson USDA NIFA Updates - J. Williams |
| Buyer Workgroup | ||
| Educational Approaches to Training Delivery | ||
| Summary of Workgroup Outputs and Next Steps | Notes |
Highlight Video
Summary of 2018 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting
The 2018 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting was held Jan. 23-25 in Baltimore, MD, held jointly with the Northeast Region Produce Safety Workgroup. Agenda for the Conference and Meeting included:
Tuesday, January 23rd
- Focused meeting day, in two parallel tracks, dedicated to:
- Produce Safety, and
- Preventive Controls for Human Food
Wednesday, January 24th
- Joint conference session:
- Keynote speaker
- Updates from each state regulatory, research and extension
- Three panel sessions featuring producers, processors and buyers.
Wednesday Evening, January 24th
- Poster session that
- Highlighted poster presentations on extension, education and outreach activities across the region
Thursday, January 25th
- NECAFS Steering Team Meeting
Evaluation from 2018 Annual Conference and Meeting
Attendees at the 2018 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting completed program evaluations. This evaluation asked questions about the Annual Conference and Meeting as well as overall NECAFS programming. Please download the full report here.
NECAFS Summary Evaluation Report
Video from 2018 Annual Conference and Meeting
Wednesday Joint Conference
One-on-one Interviews
"How to get training on FSMA"
"Grower Reflections on Food Safety"
"Food Processor Reflections on Food Safety"
Summary of 2017 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting
The 2017 NECAFS Annual Conference and Meeting was held January 10, 2017 in Boston, MA. Below is a full summary report and presenations from the meeting.
