National Restaurant Association Announces Final Agenda for Food Safety Conference

WASHINGTON — The National Restaurant Association today announced the agenda for its "Food Safety in the 21st Century Marketplace: Best Practices Throughout the Supply Chain" conference in Atlanta, Oct. 22-24, 2008.

In partnership with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and the Gerson Lehrman Group, the conference will explore the many facets and challenges of food safety, at all points in the foodservice supply chain.

"We are pleased to announce a remarkable agenda that includes leaders from across the foodservice industry — all coming together to connect, collaborate and learn about maintaining superior food safety practices from farm to table," said Dr. Donna Garren, vice president of health and safety regulatory affairs for the National Restaurant Association. "Food safety is a top priority for the restaurant industry. Recent events involving melamine found in some Chinese products and salmonella found in jalapeno peppers have underscored the importance of ensuring safety at every point in the supply chain. This conference will help work towards the goal of keeping our food supply the safest in the world by providing the latest information, encouraging discussion, and sharing of best practices."

The conference is designed to educate industry professionals about the issues and challenges surrounding food safety, harmonization of global food safety standards, emerging supply chain issues, and collaboration to improve global food safety. The agenda features a broad range of speakers — including U.S. and international experts from restaurant and foodservice companies, distributors, government, allied industry organizations, consumer groups, and the scientific community.

Topics of panel discussions, education sessions and roundtables will include:

• Multinational Solutions for Global Challenges
• Emerging Food Safety Legislative Trends — Georgia State Senator Don Balfour, chairman-elect of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
• Emerging Food Safety Regulatory Trends — Dr. Tevi Troy, deputy secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Introduction to GFSI Standards
• C-Suite Straight Talk: Why Food Safety Matters
• Panelist: Rob Beall, CEO, LEDO Pizza System, Inc.
• Panelist: Craig Miller, former chairman, National Restaurant
• Association Panelist: Daniel Halpern, Jackmont Hospitality, Atlanta
• Panelist: John Metz Jr., Greazy Spoon Development Co., Atlanta
• Supply-Chain Hurdles: Produce Safety - Tom Stenzel, president and CEO, United Fresh Produce Association
• Supply-Chain Hurdles: Meat and Poultry — Organized by the American Meat Institute
• Supply-Chain Hurdles: Seafood — John Connelly, president and CEO, National Fisheries Institute
• Going Global: Food Safety in the 21st Century Changing Food Safety Failures to Food Safety Opportunities: The Impact on Global Business Sustainability and Consumer Confidence - Tom Ford, vice president, Food Safety, Ecolab, Inc.

In May, the National Restaurant Association announced a major new strategic alliance to share best food safety practices and the use of common food safety standards worldwide. The Association works closely together with GFSI to strengthen food safety systems and increase consumer confidence.

The conference will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Atlanta-Buckhead, Oct. 22-24, 2008. Sponsorship opportunities are available. To view the conference agenda and register to attend, visit www.restaurant.org/events/foodsafety.