Western Food Safety Summit Goes Virtual on May 5-6, 2021

 The Western Food Safety Summit at Hartnell College will go virtual on May 5-6, 2021, inviting attendees from across California and the entire country to view live presentations from industry-leading scientists, managers and executives.

 Salinas, CA, January 11, 2021 - The two-day event will use the online Zoom platform to explore strategic field-to-fork innovations in soil and water management, equipment and technology, while assuring the safety of presenters and attendees amid the ongoing pandemic. 

The registration deadline is April 15, and a discounted early-bird price of $250 is available through Feb. 28. Space is limited. Opportunities also remain for sponsors and virtual exhibitors. 

Dr. Raúl Rodríguez, interim superintendent/president of the Hartnell Community College District, will open the summit on May 5 with a greeting and overview at 9 a.m. 

Morning keynotes will be delivered on May 5 by Tim York, chief executive officer for the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, and on May 6 Dennis Donohue, director of the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology in Salinas, which is presenting the summit in partnership with the Hartnell College Agricultural Business & Technology Institute. 

“We are excited to present the 16th annual Western Food Safety Summit from our new virtual platform,” said event Co-Chair Jess Hogg, quality assurance manager for Scheid Family Wines. “It is our goal to bring you information on the most relevant food safety issues of the day through our outstanding line up of industry experts.” 

As in years past, the summit’s information sessions are aimed at a cross-section of players in the fresh fruits and vegetables industry, from executives such as growers, processors, coolers, shippers and suppliers to food safety directors and supervisors and quality-assurance foremen and crew leaders. Students and faculty in Hartnell’s agricultural career programs will also participate. 

Co-Chair Clint Cowden, Hartnell’s dean of career technical education and workforce development, said the summit is one way the college continues to give back to the industry that helped it build some of the nation’s best ag education programs over the past 15 years.

 “In 2006, Monterey County’s agriculture industry came together to help rebuild the agriculture programs at Hartnell College,” Cowden said. “The main focus of this rebuild was maintaining the safest food system in the world.  

“The Western Food Safety Summit conference is made by and for working food safety professionals, and we have some of the best experts on the planet presenting at this summit.” 

The following are examples of presenters and their topics: 

“Lessons Learned From Field-Based Research Following the 2018 (E. coli) Outbreak,” by Dr. Channah Rock, professor of environmental sciences and water quality specialist with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. 

“Steps in Developing a Comprehensive Irrigation Water Treatment Program,” by Bob Mills, director of food safety/technical services at The Harbinger Group, LLC Misionero. 

“Data Sharing – a Different Industry-FDA Approach to Conduct Product Testing,” by Sonia Salas, assistant vice president for food safety, Western Growers. 

To take advantage of the $250 early registration fee, a savings of $45 per individual, visit the summit website at the westernfoodsafetysummit.com. Attendees will receive a certificate of completion at the conclusion of the summit. 

Information is also available on the website about $1,000 event sponsorships, which offer significant exposure to produce industry audiences throughout the event, including opportunities to share information as virtual exhibitors via social media and a one-minute video to be played throughout the conference. Each sponsorship includes one complimentary registration and a complimentary sponsor’s booth in the virtual exhibitor area online. 

For more information, please contact Clint Cowden at (831) 755-6702 or ccowden@hartnell.edu. 

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
The Buzz PR LLC
Salinas, CA
(831) 747-7455
http://www.hartnell.edu

San Lorenzo Valley Water District begins 2021 with three new directors on its Board of Directors

 The San Lorenzo Valley Water District has elected two directors and appointed one new director to its five-person Board of Directors (board), a governing body responsible for the establishment of policy that affects more than 7,900 connections. 

Boulder Creek, CA, January 05, 2021 - The San Lorenzo Valley Water District has elected two directors and appointed one new director to its five-person Board of Directors (board), a governing body responsible for the establishment of policy that affects more than 7,900 connections. On December 7th, Gail Mahood and Tina Marie were sworn into the board after being elected in November. On December 16th, Mark Smolley was appointed and sworn into the board. These three new directors replace outgoing board members Richard Moran, Lewis Farris and Steven Swan. 

The three new directors have vast experience and diverse qualifications: 

Gail Mahood: The retired Stanford University geology professor has expertise in the effects of geology and climate change on the hydrology and biology of watersheds. She also brings a vast knowledge of groundwater issues, water quality (including post-fire contamination) and geologic hazards that could impact SLVWD facilities (i.e. landslides, earthquakes, floods, debris flows). Mahood served on Stanford’s budget and strategic planning group and the Land and Building Committee, and was chair of the Faculty Senate. She has also served on the SLVWD Engineering Committee since 2019. 

Tina Marie To: A marine environmental scientist and active community member, To holds a bachelor’s degree in Law and Earth Science from UC Santa Cruz, along with a master’s in Environmental Science from the University of Sydney in Australia. As an environmental scientist, To has worked for the California State Water Board and the City of Richmond, specializing in wastewater issues. A frequent attendee and contributor at SLVWD meetings and a member of the community group Friends of San Lorenzo Valley Water, To believes water is the critical life force of the valley. 

Mark Smolley: The Felton resident has participated with the SLVWD Engineering Committee for the past two years. He also served as a board member for six years with Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit in San Jose focused on improving low-income housing. Smolley served as the utilities construction project manager at Apple Inc.’s 170-acre campus from 2015-2018, and in a similar capacity for the University of California, San Francisco (2008-2014). A graduate of Penn State University, Smolley is a state-licensed professional geologist. 

The SLVWD also passed three resolutions to acknowledge and thank the three departing board members: 

Stephen Swan: Swan served on the board for two years, beginning in 2018. During his tenure on the board, Swan served as board president in 2020 and led the District through the CZU Wildfire. The board acknowledged Swan’s dedication to the proper management and fiscal viability of the district, as well as the protection of the watershed properties and the environmental health of the entire San Lorenzo River watershed. 

Lewis Farris: Farris served on the board for 1 year & 7 months, after being appointed in 2019. His contribution and service began in 2014 when he served on the Community Outreach Citizens Advisory Committee and later as a public member of the Engineering Committee, where he was instrumental in the District earning a Transparency Certificate of Excellence and improving outreach to the public. Farris was also involved in the Santa Margarita Groundwater Management Agency and served as one of the District’s representatives. 

Richard Moran: Moran served on the board for 1 year & 4 months, after being appointed in 2019. Before joining the board, Moran participated as a voice in the community, calling for a ban on glyphosate, a suspected human carcinogen. He also served as a public member on the Environmental Committee before he was seated on the board. Moran was responsible for moving forward the adoption of the District’s first Integrated Pest Management Plan, reducing the use of pesticides. 

Established in 1941, the SLVWD supplies water to the communities of Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Ben Lomond, Lompico, Zayante, Scotts Valley, Manana Woods and Felton. Through a network of distribution lines, pump stations and reservoirs, the district now serves more than 7,900 connections and 35,000 residents.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
The Buzz PR LLC
Salinas, CA
(831) 747-7455
https://www.slvwd.com/