Related organizations:
IAFP
NJEHA
NEHA

Useful links:
NJLMN
NJ HSS Food and Drug
FDA CFSAN
USDA FSIS

President's Message
Spring 2009

What a Challenge!

Wow! 2009 is here and I have the honor of ascending to the Presidency of the Metropolitan Association for Food Protection. While it can hardly be compared to the magnitude and the pomp of the Presidency of the United States, President Obama and I both enter our respective offices during a time of economic uncertainty. However, unlike him I succeed a highly popular and effective predecessor. Folks, I don’t know about you, but I feel that Past President Gary Moore was astounding. He brought MAFP to the electronic age with the introduction of our webpage. He brought new Executive Board members with diverse food protection experience and fresh ideas. He hosted the seminars so smoothly and didn’t we have such interesting and informative speakers! He was so instrumental in elevating the caliber of this organization – I tell you, his are tough shoes to fill!

Despite that enormous challenge, I promise you that we on the Executive Board will continue to deliver informative seminars with top-notch speakers (not to mention pretty good food, right?). Another challenge is to do all this without breaking your employers’ budgets. Dollar-for-dollar, MAFP is your best bet for learning, networking, and getting those CEs! Plus, can you tell me which other organization can bring together all levels of regulatory, industry, and academic professionals with the common goal of protecting our food supply? I didn’t think so!

Hey, enough about my challenges or those of MAFP, what about yours? For regulators, you’re doing more retail food inspections with less staff and a limited budget for equipment and training. Plus to do a “Chapter 24” well, you really need to spend some time at each establishment – time that’s already stretched. If you’re a Quality Assurance or other food protection professional in private industry, you’re dealing with similar matters, plus meeting the lofty requirements of SQF and other client-driven third party food protection programs. Furthermore, QA departments are not typically money-generating operations, and are subject to the budget axe when times are tough – like now!

It is likely that we are ALL experiencing the most difficult challenges of our careers thus far, but we can meet them by working together … and by learning together! So take my challenge and come to the seminars, give us some names of potential speakers, and help your organization thrive!

Alan Talarsky
MAFP President