Virtual Petfood Forum: All you need to know about FSMA and petfood safety

The US Food and Drug Administration is working hard -- and partnering with both the human food and petfood industries -- to meet deadlines and develop regulations and policies in adherence to the Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law in January 2011. The new regulations and rules will include ones encompassing petfood, some for the first time, and the law's deadlines mean many will go into effect within the next year or so. Will your company and facility be ready?

You can find out which regulations will affect you, how you can prepare, what you need to do and when -- all by registering for and participating in Virtual Petfood Forum: Food Safety on October 26. Registration is free, and with this being a completely online event, you can participate from anywhere you and your computer might be: office, home, even a hotel room or airport. (If you can't get online October 26, you can still access archives of the event through January 26, 2012, as long as you have registered.)

Like a traditional trade show, Virtual Petfood Forum will feature exhibitors and sponsors who will have information available to download and personnel ready to chat with you and answer your questions. Plus, you can network with petfood peers from around the world in the networking lounge or via discussion threads in the conference center.

What you will find most valuable, we believe, are the five expert presentations on making safe petfood in today's rapidly changing environment:

• FSMA: a comprehensive overview -- by Jessica Wasserman, president of Wasserman & Associates, a global regulatory expert and former agricultural service executive with the US Department of Agriculture
• Get prepared! A 'how-to' on what to expect and how to deal with FSMA regulations -- by Judi Lazaro, director of customer relations for AIB International, a food safety auditor and auditing expert
• Providing petfood manufacturing safety with HPP -- by Glenn Hewson, VP of global marketing, Avure Technologies, provider of high pressure processing technology and expertise
• FSMA and petfood imports -- by Benjamin England, CEO of FDAImports.com and Benjamin L. England & Associates, a 17-year veteran of FDA 
• GRAS process for safety of petfood ingredients -- George Burdock, PhD, president and founder of the Burdock Group and expert on the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine's generally recognized as safe (GRAS) process for approving new ingredients

If you are responsible for the safety of your company's processing or products, or just need to fill in some gaps in your petfood safety knowledge, you won't want to miss this event. Register today for Virtual Petfood Forum on October 26. Remember, it's free!

Former FDA member challenges FSMA pet food regulations

According to Benjamin England, founder and CEO of FDAImports.com, food importers and foreign manufacturers are in for a surprise starting October 1, when a provision of the Food Safety Modernization Act becomes effective requiring the US Food and Drug Administration collect a fee for costs associated with re-inspection of imported food shipments. England is currently launching a coalition of interested manufacturers and food importers to challenge FDA’s broad interpretation of this FSMA provision.

England says the re-inspection fees will cripple the food industry, leaving no other choice but to pass the costs on to consumers. In its Federal Register notice issued August 1, FDA invited comments about the re-inspection fees, which will be accepted until October 31. England points out that the fees, however, will go into effect 30 days before the comment period has closed. Through his coalition, England is working with pet food manufacturers to officially comment on and rally against these new fees.

England, a former 17-year FDA member, will speak about the Food Safety Modernization Act and the FDA re-inspection fees at the upcoming Virtual Petfood Forum 2011 on October 6. Those interested in attending Virtual Petfood Forum can register online to learn more about the Food Safety Modernization Act and other issues affecting the petfood industry.

Virtual Petfood Forum recorded webinars and slides available on-demand

If you registered for the free Virtual Petfood Forum, which was held October 21, remember you can access an archive of the event through January 21, 2011.

Simply use the link and log-on information provided by email the morning of October 21. To view any of the five expert presentations, now available as recorded webinars, click on the Conference tab in the black bar at the top of the page, then Conference Centre.

That will take you to a list of the five webinars, where you'll see each listed. Click the "Attend Now" button under the title of the presentation you're interested in seeing and hearing.

When the page for that recorded presentation comes up, you'll see three tabs in the top center of the page, including one for Handouts. Click that to find a PDF of the slides for that presentation.

If you did not previously register for Virtual Petfood Forum, you still can!

Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation is Four days away!

What innovations are happening in petfood that could help you continue to drive your business forward? Find out by signing up for Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation on October 21. You can learn from experts, network with industry peers and leading suppliers from around the world—all for free and without leaving your office or home.

Think of Virtual Petfood Forum as an online event where petfood nutrition, safety and regulatory, production and packaging professionals along with veterinarians, nutritionists, technical consultants, sales professionals, C-level executives, business owners and buyers can engage in real-time interaction via chats, group chats, e-mails, Twitter or the exchange of electronic business cards.

Plus, this event will feature five industry experts sharing their knowledge on:

·         Innovation in nutrition and ingredients by Serge Boutet, agronomist and manager of petfoods and nutrition for Mondou Ltd. in Canada. Boutet has focused his career on developing unique petfood products, which in his mind starts with innovative ingredients. In fact, he says his suppliers often come to him first with their new ingredients.

·         Innovation in petfood packaging by Scott Whiteside, PhD, associate professor of the Department of Packaging Science and associate director of the Center for Flexible Packaging, both at Clemson University. Dr. Whiteside works with numerous companies on food and packaging issues. He believes some of the most innovative packaging in recent years has been happening in petfood, and he’ll share some of his favorite examples.

·         Innovation in marketing: exploring social and online media by Julie Lenzer Kirk, CEO and chief muse of Path Forward International, which works with businesses and entrepreneurs to help them improve, grow and succeed. Lenzer Kirk is a regular on Twitter and uses it, along with other social networking formats, to connect with her clients and help them market their companies and products.

·         Innovation in petfood processing by Mian Riaz, PhD, director of the Food Protein R&D Center at Texas A&M University. Dr. Riaz and his team hold several extrusion seminars each year, including one focused on petfood, and keep up-to-date on the latest advances in equipment, processes and techniques.

·         Innovation in petfood safety by James Marsden, PhD, Regent’s Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Security and associate director of the Biosecurity Research Institute, both at Kansas State University. His research has focused on the safety of food products, particularly controlling dangerous bacteria and other contaminants in meat. He’s now applying his learning to petfood.

Registering for Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation gets you access to these live presentations—including live Q&A with each speaker—plus the sponsor center and networking lounge. You can enter and leave the event throughout the day as your schedule allows—or, if you can’t participate at all on October 21, you can access an archive of the event for 90 days afterward. Visit www.wattevents.com.

Register online!

Visit www.wattevents.com to register for free to Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation on October 21. You can enter and leave the event as your schedule allows—or access an archive for 90 days afterward.

Guide to Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation learn the latest advances in our industry and interact with peers from around the world—all online

What innovations are happening in petfood that could help you continue to drive your business forward? Find out by signing up for Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation on October 21. You can learn from experts, network with industry peers and leading suppliers from around the world—all for free and without leaving your office or home.
Think of Virtual Petfood Forum as an online event where petfood nutrition, safety and regulatory, production and packaging professionals along with veterinarians, technical consultants, sales professionals, C-level executives, business owners and buyers can engage in real-time interaction via chats, group chats, e-mails, Twitter or the exchange of electronic business cards.
Plus, this event will feature five industry experts sharing their knowledge and insights. See the full line-up of speakers and topics here.

Registering for Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation gets you access to the live presentations—including live Q&A with each speaker—plus the sponsor center and networking lounge. You can enter and leave the event throughout the day as your schedule allows—or, if you can’t participate at all on October 21, you can access an archive of the event for 90 days afterward.

Virtual PFF, Petfood Industry and Petfood-Connection.com all on Facebook

Although the internet provides easy access to more up-to-date, global information than ever before, it can often be a lengthy process of logins and passwords, multiple tabs and windows on your task bar, and link after confusing link. That's why we've made Facebook a one-stop-shop for everything petfood, so you can get the information and news you need without the hassle. 

Check out our event page for Virtual Petfood Forum and RSVP, while checking out our promotional video and posting a comment on our wall. Then, head over to our brand new Petfood Industry page, become a fan and get caught up with the industry with our daily updates from blogs, articles, videos and podcasts. Finally, go to our Petfood-Connection.com fan page and join a discussion, post an opinion on a blog thread or start a group.

Check out these petfood videos

In case you didn't see this video posted last week, it's a fun, brief look at what's coming with Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation on October 21.
If you haven't yet registered for this online event, please do so. It's completely free and a great way to see some expert presentations, plus network with other petfood professionals from around the world, without having to leave your desk.
Speaking of videos, the new PetfoodIndustry.com features a beefed-up video section with clips from Interzoo 2010 and Petfood Forum 2010. Videos getting the most play include:
*Antonio Teixeira Miranda Neto, president of Total Alimentos in Brazil, discussing the new sustainability program that will soon be part of the certification program from ANFAL-PET, the petfood trade association in Brazil;
*Justin Verstappen, general director of Brandenburch of the Netherlands, describing the product development and other services offered to producers making petfood for small animals; and
*Vygantas Kirejevas, CEO of Bacterfield Ltd. in Luxembourg, talking about the company's new ProBiotic Live, which it says is the first dry dog food to keep probiotics live and stable.
Don't forget, you can always post your own videos on www.Petfood-Connection.com. Please be sure to share them!

Safety speaker announced for Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation

All the media coverage over the past few weeks about the huge recall of eggs contaminated with Salmonella -- not to mention the continuing spate of much smaller, less serious, mainly precautionary petfood recalls -- ensures safety stays top of mind.
But how can you be sure your safety practices are as robust as possible? Are there other protocols or technologies you should consider?
You can find out by signing up for Virtual Petfood Forum: Innovation on October 21. It's free and completely online, so you don't need to leave your office or home to participate.
One of the five expert presentations will be by Jim Marsden, PhD, Regent's Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Security and associate director of the Biosecurity Research Institute, both at Kansas State University. His research has focused on the safety of food products, particularly controlling dangerous bacteria and other contaminants in meat, and he's now applying that research to petfood.
The other presentations during Virtual Petfood Forum will be:
*Innovation in nutrition and ingredients by Serge Boutet, agronomist and manager of petfoods and nutriton for Mondou Ltd.;
*Innovation in petfood packaging by Scott Whiteside, PhD, associate professor of the Department of Packaging Science and associate director of the Center for Flexible Packaging, both at Clemson University;
*Innovation in marketing: exploring social and online media by Julie Lenzer Kirk, CEO and chief Muse of Path Forward International; and
*Innovation in petfood processing by Mian Riaz, PhD, director of the Food Protein R&D Center at Texas A&M University.
Besides viewing the presentations and participating in live Q&A with the speakers, you can also chat live with other industry peers and with leading industry suppliers from around the world.
You can come and go throughout the day as your schedule permits -- or, if you can't participate on October 21, you can view an archive of the event for 90 days afterward. Sign up today!

Speakers, topics announced for Virtual Petfood Forum

The all-new, first-ever Virtual Petfood Forum: Target on Nutrition is a live educational event held entirely on the Internet. Scheduled for October 28, it features the industry's leading experts presenting information on companion animal nutrition, then participating in live question-and-answer sessions with attendees.
Speakers and topics include:
*Exotic ingredients in petfoods—Greg Aldrich, PhD
*Dietary components in the treatment of canine osteoarthritis—Anton Beynen, PhD, head of R&D for Vobra Special Petfoods in the Netherlands and professor of animal nutrition, Rajamangala University of Technology, Thailand
*Communicating with pet owners about petfoods and unconventional diets—Kathryn E. Michel, DVM, MS, DACVN, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
*The science behind grain-free and raw diets for cats—Brittany Vester Boler, PhD, University of Illinois
*When more petfood doesn’t equal success—Sean Delaney, DVM, MS, DACVN, Natura Pet Products Inc.
Virtual Petfood Forum also allows you to interact live with your industry peers and with world-class solution providers and suppliers to the global petfood manufacturing industry. Registration is free; find out more and register today.
(If you can't participate live on October 28, you can still view the archive for 90 days afterward as long as you're registered.)

Registration available for Virtual Petfood Forum

The all-new Virtual Petfood Forum: Target on Nutrition is a live educational event held entirely on the Internet. Scheduled for October 28, it features the industry's leading experts presenting information on companion animal nutrition, then participating in live question-and-answer sessions with attendees.

Speakers and topics include:
*When more petfood doesn’t equal success—Sean Delaney, DVM, MS, DACVN, Natura Pet Products Inc.
*The science behind grain-free and raw diets for cats—Brittany Vester Boler, PhD, University of Illinois
*Exotic ingredients in petfoods—Greg Aldrich, PhD
*Dietary components in the treatment of canine osteoarthritis—Anton Beynen, PhD, head of R&D for Vobra Special Petfoods in the Netherlands and pprofessor of animal nutrition, Rajamangala University of Technology, Thailand

Virtual Petfood Forum also allows you to interact live with your industry peers and with world-class solution providers and suppliers to the global petfood manufacturing industry. Registration is free; find out more and register today. (If you can't participate live on October 28, you can still view the archive for 90 days afterward as long as you're registered.)