Who Should Attend

This workshop is designed for industry personnel and regulatory officials who are responsible for reviewing food labels and labeling for compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Those charged with label development or review will find the course of invaluable interest. Trade association staff, food consultants, and attorneys will also find this program valuable.

Agenda

Day One – Wednesday, July 23

Day Two – Thursday, July 24

Handout Material

Workshop participants receive a copy of the course text, a Food Labeling Compliance Manual.  The manual is an invaluable tool for regulatory officials and industry personnel in their review of food labels.  Additional copies of the manual (in hard copy or CD format) can be purchased separately for $199.

Your Instructors

• Neal Fortin, Director of the Institute for Food Laws and Regulations (IFLR) at Michigan State University.  Neal Fortin has extensive experience with food labeling requirements both as an attorney representing food businesses and working for the Michigan Department of Agriculture. He has trained over 1,500 people on labeling law.  
• Beatrice Greenberg, Food Labeling and Standards Staff, Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Ms. Beatrice Greenberg is currently the Supervisor of the Labeling Regulations Implementation Team.  Ms. Greenberg began her career with FDA as a field investigator in FDA's Philadelphia District in 1977.  During her career as an investigator, Ms. Greenberg conducted inspections involving a variety of FDA regulated industries, including food manufacturers.  For several years, Ms. Greenberg served as Philadelphia District's recall co-coordinator and prior to moving to the Washington, DC area, she served as a Compliance Officer in Philadelphia District.  During her tenure as a Compliance Officer, Ms. Greenberg participated in several details to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) to assist CFSAN in reviewing comments that were received to the proposed NLEA regulations. She also assisted in FDA's NLEA training efforts and in the implementation and enforcement of the NLEA regulations.  In 1997 Ms. Greenberg relocated to the Washington, DC where she served as a Recall Co-coordinator for the Center for Biologics Evaluations and Research.  In March 2002, she joined CFSAN to once again work in the food labeling arena.  Ms. Greenberg’s interest in food labeling began while she was earning her B.A. degree in Home Economics at Montclair State University. 
• Al Hafner worked for the Michigan Department of Agriculture for over 30 years as a food technologist and more recently as an Instructor in the Institute for Food Laws and Regulations at Michigan State University.
• John Spink is the Director of the Packaging for Food and Product Protection Initiative at Michigan State University (MSU) and a faculty at the MSU Food Safety & Toxicology Center.  John developed and teaches the graduate classes “Packaging for Food Safety” and “Food Protection & Defense – Packaging Module”, and the “Future of Sustainability” module for Criminal Justice 491 Environmental Enforcement. In addition, John is very involved in sustainable packaging initiatives and is a frequent guest lecturer on the topic at the MSU School of Packaging. Other work includes assisting corporations to both define “sustainable sustainability” and to successfully evolve their business and research plans to meet initiatives by Wal-Mart and others.  John is President of York Partners LLC, a management, sales & marketing, and packaging consulting company that specializes in innovation and execution in the business-to-business marketplace.  Current packaging consulting work ranges from review of policy to retail audits to package review and development for Fortune 250 corporations. Current management and marketing consulting focuses on managing the retail market strategy through product development through sales execution for start-up and micro-cap corporations.
• Mary Anne Verleger is the Course Manager for the Institute for Food Laws and Regulations at Michigan State University.

• Gerald Wojtala manages the food protection programs in the State of Michigan as the Deputy Director of the Food & Dairy Division at the Michigan Department of Agriculture. He is also the President of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO).

Location

The July 23-24, 2008, workshop will be held at the state-of-the-art Henry Center for Executive Development (on the MSU campus adjacent to the Forest Akers golf course) 3535 Forest Road, Lansing, MI 48910.  For maps and directions to the Henry Center click here.

Special lodging rates are available at the attached Candlewood Suites. You must tell the hotel you are with the "IFLR workshop" to get the special rate. Reservations must be made at least 45 days in advance of the workshop to receive the special rate.

•       PLEASE reserve your hotel room as quickly as possible, if for no other reason than the convenience of staying at the hotel attached to the conference center. Those participants who waited to make their reservations last year were unable to stay at the Candlewood Suites because all rooms were booked, as were several nearby hotels.  With the early start of the conference both mornings, you’ll appreciate the convenience of not having to rush around in traffic.   If your schedule allows, please consider arriving the evening before so that you will be well rested on the first morning.

Click here for more information about the Candlewood Suites.  Telephone: (517) 351-8181 or 877 CANDLEWOOD (877) 226 3539.

To Attend

Tuition:  $895.00, which includes:
              Continental breakfast, refreshments, and lunch both days
              Food Labeling Compliance Guide

A registration form may be downloaded by clicking here

 Telephone: (517) 355-8295           Email:  IFLR@msu.edu           Fax: (517) 432-1492

Tuition Scholarships:  A limited number of tuition scholarships have been made available for Michigan residents and food companies by the generosity of the Michigan food industry and the Michigan Department of Agriculture. If you would like to request a scholarship, please write to the IFLR Scholarship Committee explaining your need and why you would like to attend. You may submit your request via email to IFLR@msu.edu with the subject line “IFLR Scholarship Request.”  You will receive a confirmation of receipt and be notified if your request is approved.

Tax Deduction - Educational expenses to improve business or professional skills are tax deductible under U.S. Treasury Regulation 1.162.5.

Cancellation Policy - Applicants who cancel workshop enrollment more than three working days before the course starts will receive a full refund.  Applicants who cancel enrollment with fewer than three working days left to the start of the course (after July 17, 2008) will be charged a $100 (US) late cancellation fee.  Substitutions may be made at any time.

IFLR reserves the right to cancel this program in the event of insufficient registration or instructor emergency and will make full refund if this occurs. The liability of IFLR shall be limited to the amount of the registration fee.

The generous support of the
Michigan Department of Agriculture
and the
Michigan food industry
is acknowledged with appreciation