The new facility will be focused on producing fresh salads, fresh cut vegetables and healthy prepared fresh food for Canadian consumers.

SALINAS, Calif. — Taylor Farms, a North American producer of salads and healthy fresh foods, announced the opening of the new Taylor Farms Toronto facility. With production focused on the retail product portfolio, Canadian customers will now have access to an array of the freshest products including the fan-favorite Taylor Farms Chopped Salad Kits and Earthbound Farm Organic Salads. 

Kevin Silver, general manager of Taylor Farms Canada, will oversee the operations at the Toronto facility. The opening of this facility brings new opportunity for Taylor Farms to support local growers and customers as well as the local job market.   

GFSI released a survey asking what it and the food industry can do to support and further the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals agenda by 2030.

PARIS — At the recent GFSI Conference in Barcelona, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) launched a call to foster greater action and impact to embed the food safety industry into the sustainability agenda and to engage its community in taking a bigger role in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs are a shared blueprint settled in 2015 by the United Nations for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, for now and into the future, to be achieved by 2030.

A global structural shift in the food industry means that demand for the world’s food supply continues to grow. This is happening alongside the urgent need to preserve the planet, the requirement to shift to more sustainable production and consumption patterns, as well to make the food system less fragile and unequal; all while also combatting food fraud and managing the impacts of climate change. Due to their relation to food safety, the following SDGs are of particular interest to GFSI:

To support the food industry, GFSI wants to hear from its community via an online survey available here about what the food industry and GFSI can do to support and further the SDGs agenda by 2030. The survey sets out to identify the best ideas from the community for supporting the global food safety ecosystem and strengthening its impact at scale towards the SDGs agenda. The outcome of the survey will be shared in a webinar hosted by GFSI on World Food Safety Day on June 7.

GFSI said it hopes this call for action and the survey outcomes will provide a framework to support the industry for greater collaboration between the public and the private sectors, to strengthen the collective contribution to achieving the SDGs by 2030 and to make a positive impact on food systems by working together to ensure better food safety management systems.

You can find the survey here.

The company said the unique combination of active ingredients provides beef producers a triple-action option for insect control.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — NEOGEN Corp. announced that it has added a new product to its Prozap insect control line.

Prozap Protectus Pour-On Insecticide – IGR is a ready-to-use triple-active formula for use on beef cattle and calves that kills chewing and sucking lice, horn flies, stable flies, horse and deer flies. The product is formulated with a unique combination of active ingredients, including an insect growth regulator (IGR), adulticide and a synergist, which provides cattle with relief from infestations and kills louse eggs before they hatch, providing season-long control of lice in one application.

The formula, which contains 3% diflubenzuron, 2.5% piperonyl butoxide and .5% lambda-cyhalothrin, is applied along the back of the animal being treated utilizing a graduated applicator gun.

"We are incredibly excited to offer this new, premium insect control product to producers," said Elizabeth Wonsowski, NEOGEN's ruminant product marketing manager. "The formulation of the new Prozap Protectus Pour-On product provides beef cattle producers with a unique option compared to existing products currently on the market and will help minimize cattle handling, time and labor costs associated with treatment."

Tim Husen, Chris Gigley and Kristen Oakley start new positions within Syngenta.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Syngenta is pleased to announce the appointment of a new technical services manager, marketing communications lead and market manager within its Professional Pest Management (PPM) business. With years of relevant industry and professional experience, these individuals will help foster the Syngenta mission of a life uninterrupted by pests. 

Tim Husen has been named the newest PPM technical services manager covering Midwest and Northeast territories. He will support the Syngenta distribution network and customers, as well as provide technical support and training to the PPM sales and marketing teams. He will also work closely with universities and industry consultants to develop technical protocols for trial work.

A long-time veteran of the pest management industry, Husen most recently served as a technical services representative for another manufacturer. He has also held positions as a manager of technical service at Rollins and a technical training and quality control manager at Waltham Pest Services. He holds a Bachelor of Science in biology, as well as a Master of Science and doctorate in entomology, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

“We’re thrilled Tim has joined our technical services team,” said Mark Coffelt, head of technical services for Syngenta Professional Solutions in North America. “His industry knowledge and commitment to solving tough pest problems will be essential in providing our customers with outstanding technical support.” 

Chris Gigley joins Syngenta as the new marketing communications lead for PPM, bringing 25 years of marketing and communications experience to the role. He will oversee all marketing and communications efforts for the business, playing a key role in developing communications strategies for Syngenta products and programs. 

Gigley holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Ohio University, along with several certifications in social media marketing. He most recently served as marketing manager for Thermaco, Inc., and previously led marketing and communication teams at OT Sports.

“We’re excited to welcome Chris to our PPM team,” said Marshall Gaster, head of marketing for PPM at Syngenta. “Given his strong background in communications and marketing, he will be well-suited for helping us tell our story and connect with customers.”

Kristen Oakley has been promoted to market manager for PPM at Syngenta. In her new role, she will be responsible for strategic forecasting, pricing and promotion of the Syngenta pest management portfolio. 

Oakley joined Syngenta in 2009, serving in a variety of roles before transitioning to PPM in 2013 as the marketing communications lead. In this role, Oakley used her expertise to oversee many successful communications efforts for Syngenta products and programs, including Demand CS insecticide, the PestPartners 365 Program and Tandem insecticide. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business at Clemson University. 

“Kristen has been a fundamental part of our PPM marketing team, helping to expand and grow our Syngenta solutions with her creativity and thought leadership,” said Dave Ravel, head of sales for Syngenta Professional Solutions in North America. “We’re excited for her next journey on the PPM team and the innovative approaches she will bring."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hosting a webinar on April 13, 2022, at 2 p.m., on the Foodborne Outbreak Response Improvement Plan that the agency released in early December 2021.

SILVER SPRINGS, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hosting a webinar on April 13, 2022, at 2 p.m. on the Foodborne Outbreak Response Improvement Plan that the agency released in early December 2021.

Deputy FDA Commissioner Frank Yiannas and FDA experts across the agency’s human foods program will be available to explain and answer questions about the plan with the goal of raising awareness, enhancing understanding, and building support.

This response improvement plan focuses on tech-enabled product traceback, root cause investigations, analysis and dissemination of outbreak data, and operational improvements. It is intended to work in concert with FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint, which outlines specific approaches the FDA will take over the next decade to address food safety in the rapidly changing food system.

The plan was also informed by an independent review of the FDA’s structural and functional capacity to support, participate in or lead multistate foodborne illness outbreak investigation activities. You will hear more about that review in this webinar.

Registration is required. There will be an opportunity to ask questions in advance on the registration form.