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Dairy Food Safety Alliance Meeting

Dairy Food Safety Alliance Meeting

Tuesday, October 18, 2022
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (CDT)

Event Details

Save the date to join the Dairy Food Safety Alliance on Tuesday, October 18 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. (CT) for practical presentations on the latest in food safety research and regulatory practices, and a chance to reconnect with your peers in dairy processing.

The Alliance, a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW), and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), will offer registrants two ways to participate: live, in-person at the Hilton Garden Inn in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin or via a video conferencing link.

Participation in Dairy Food Safety Alliance meetings is open to all dairy manufacturers, processors, and related suppliers.

The registration fee to participate in person or virtually is $45. 

Registration for in-person attendees will close on Monday, October 10. 

In-person attendees will enjoy a networking lunch starting at 12:00 p.m. (CT), with the meeting continuing at 12:45 p.m. (CT) for all participants.

Virtual attendees will receive an individual Zoom link to join the programming.

Contact WCMA's Kirsten Strohmenger with any questions. 


Meeting Agenda in Brief: 

10:00 a.m. Meeting Call to Order

I. Agenda Overview & Introductions

II. Inspector Insights Presentation 

  • Survey insights from Midwestern dairy plant inspectors
  • Wisconsin inspection report
    • Natasha Kowalchuk, Sanitarian, WDATCP

III. Inspector Insights Panel 

  • Inspector guidance and Q&A session.
    • Tyson Villarreal, Environmental Health Services Supervisor, Bureau of Food and Recreational Businesses/Division of Food and Recreational Safety, WDATCP
    • Alex O’Brien, Food Safety & Quality Coordinator, Center for Dairy Research
    • Adam Brock, Vice President of Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory Compliance, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

IV. WI Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Protection Updates

  • Laura Traas, Environmental Health Services Supervisor - Division of Food and Recreational Safety, WDATCP

V. GMP Updates & Resources

  • Jim Mueller, Mueller Consulting & Larry Bell, LBell Consulting

VI. Lunch - 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

VII.  Small Group Roundtable Discussion

  • Peer-to-peer discussion to identify common industry issues, share possible solutions, and suggest new resources they’d like to see from the Dairy Food Safety Alliance

VIII. Large Group Discussion

2:00 p.m. Adjournment