RFA Technical Webcasts

 

The RFA hosts quarterly Technical Webcasts on timely food safety and regulatory topics affecting
the prepared foods industry. The Webcasts are live, interactive events that you can join from your office!

See below for details on the latest Technical Webcast.

RFA Members can access slide presentations from past Technical Webcasts at anytime in the Member Center.

January 15, 2025 RFA Technical Webcast:

 
“How to Handle a USDA-FSIS NR”

 

REGISTER HERE for this live, interactive Event that you can join from your office!

Non-member registration form

Date and Time:

     * Wednesday, January 15, from 2:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time 

      (1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Central, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Mountain, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Pacific)

Overview:

Navigating regulatory compliance sometimes involves needing to reply to regulatory inspection outcomes. Failure to provide an adequate rebuttal to a USDA-FSIS Non-Compliance Report (NR) can lead to increased inspection scrutiny, the potential for product recalls, and/or an increased risk of human illness. This fireside chat session, led by two seasoned experts, will address learnings from past and recent events, provide pointers on how to prepare and defend positions, and offer considerations for appeals.

 

Presenters:

Brian McFarlane, Senior Director of Technical Services, Eurofins Scientific

Brian McFarlane has worked in the red meat industry for nearly 30 years. He obtained an Animal Science de- gree at Michigan State University then a master’s degree at Kansas State University in Meat Color Science. He started his career with IBP in 1996, transitioned to Tyson Foods under acquisition, and then relocated to Col- orado with JBS in 2017, where he served as the VP of Food Safety and Quality Assurance. In 2020, he joined Colorado State as an affiliate staff member in Animal Science. In 2024, he left JBS and works with a variety of companies, he assists companies with regulatory, technical, and operational problems, offers scientific consult- ing, and is helping new companies bring innovative technologies to the food industry and turn innovation into reality.

His personal goal is bringing sustainable new and innovative technologies to the meat industry. “It is our re- sponsibility to leave the industry in a better position than when we started in it. There is always a better way!”


John Scanga, Chief Scientific Officer, Eurofins Laboratories North American Meat Division

Dr. John Scanga received his Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. He and his wife Chauna and their sons Sam and Ian reside in Ault CO and operate a diversified farming operation.

His experience includes being an Associate Professor in the Center for Meat Safety and Quality at Colorado State University, Vice President of Technical Services for IEH Laboratories, Technical Consultant at Elanco Animal Health, and Vice President of Quality Assurance, Technical Services, and Live Animal Procurement at Meyer Natural Foods.

John currently is the Chief Scientific Officer for Eurofins Laboratories North American Meat Division, supporting customers with pragmatic food safety solutions, process validations, and operational improvements.

 

 

How does the Webcast work?

It's easy and convenient!  A virtual seminar is one that you can "attend" and participate in right from your offices. There is no travel time, and now provided at NO COST to RFA members!
      

The RFA Technical Webcast will include live audio along with a slide presentation on the Web. You just need a phone connection for the audio and an Internet connection.  

In addition, the webcast will allow you to comment and ask questions at specified times during the event using your phone.
     

You can invite staff members to listen and participate too!  To get the most out of a webcast, it is recommended that you have no more than five people at any one computer connection. If you have multiple locations, please register each location separately.


Credits

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the Research Chefs Association (RCA) have confirmed that continuing education credits are available for numerous RFA technical functions. Depending on the specific educational criteria of these two organizations, credits will be accepted for attendance at 1) RFA Webinars, 2) the RFA Fall Symposium and 3) the RFA Annual Conference.

Contact the RFA office for more information or for proof of participation.

 

Registration Information:

The cost for this event is as follows:

  • RFA Members: NO CHARGE - Now Included as a Member Benefit!

  • Non-Members: $310 per computer/audio connection

To attend the meeting, you can either:

  • Just send an email to [email protected] to register. There is no cost for members.  Nonmembers: checks must be made payable to the Refrigerated Foods Association. Payment should be received no later than January 13, 2025.

Once you have registered for the meeting, you will receive an email message inviting you to attend the web conference with instructions on how to attend. This message will provide the information that you need to join the meeting.



If you have questions about the RFA Technical Webcasts, please e-mail the RFA office at [email protected].