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Script: Who is OFDER? |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
podcast. Each episode will bring you cutting edge news and information
about how FSIS is working to ensure public health protection
through food safety. While we’re on the job, you can rest assured
that your meat, poultry, and processed egg products are safe,
wholesome, properly labeled, and packaged correctly. So turn
up your volume and listen in.
Host:
Hello, I’m with the Food Safety and Inspection Service. Protecting public health
through food safety and food defense requires the efforts of employees in all
different offices. Today I’d like to welcome our colleague from the Office of Food
Defense and Emergency Response, or OFDER as it’s referred to. She will tell us how that
office supports the agency’s goals and mission.
Guest:
Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here.
The Office of Food Defense and Emergency Response or (OFDER), serves as the agency’s
central office for managing and coordinating homeland security, food defense, and
emergency response activities for meat, poultry and processed egg products to further
protect public health. We provide support and answer questions on protecting your
facility and your product.
Large scale emergencies or natural disasters can disrupt production and distribution
of your product. OFDER facilitates FSIS emergency response and recovery support, and
assists with industry. Some of the activities may include sending FSIS personnel into
a disaster-affected area to ensure inspection services to food processing plants, and
providing assistance on the disposal of contaminated food and decontamination of
facilities.
Host:
How does OFDER reach out to the FSIS constituents and the owners of small and very
small plants?
Guest:
OFDER works closely with the industry, trade associations, and state and local
governments. Through outreach and education, we promote the adoption and application
of food defense programs, best practices and guidelines, developed cooperatively with
the industry, and geared toward helping you develop your own prevention, response, and
recovery strategies.
In today’s environment, it is important to understand and quickly identify real and
potential threats to the food industry. We work closely with the law enforcement and
intelligence communities in sharing information, strengthening communication, and
coordinating prevention and response activities. We also work with other FSIS program
areas and industry to analyze food defense information for suspicious behaviors,
non-routine incidents, security breaches, and potentially widespread, life-threatening
human illnesses.
Host:
Can you tell us about some of the other activities OFDER conducts?
Guest:
Sure, OFDER activities include:
- conducting vulnerability assessments of meat, poultry and processed egg
products
- developing countermeasures and mitigation strategies
- Enhancing research on screening procedures for domestic and imported products, and
- coordinating recovery procedures, to include facility decontamination and product disposal
all these activities are just some of what OFDER does.
Remember, your success as a business may one day depend on your preparation and
response to an emergency or unexpected incident. OFDER is here to support you. For
additional food defense and emergency response information, contact your FSIS
inspector or front line supervisor, visit the FSIS website at:
www.fsis.usda.gov, or call our main office
number at 202-720-5643.
Food Defense! It’s about protecting your customers, your employees, and your business.
Outro:
Well, that’s all for this episode. We’d like your feedback
on our podcast. Or if you have ideas for future podcasts, send
us an e-mail at podcast@fsis.usda.gov. To learn more about food
safety, try our web site at www.fsis.usda.gov.
Thanks for tuning in.
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Last Modified: June 11, 2008 |
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