Food Fraud Exercise on June 18, 2013 in East Lansing, Michigan

On June 18, 2013 the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) and Michigan State University (MSU) will host a table-top exercise that will promote awareness of food fraud.  Food fraud is a collective term used to encompass the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food for economic gain. 

Registration is required.  There will be no cost to participants and lunch is included. 

With an Innovative Food Defense Grant from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a tabletop training exercise has been developed that promotes awareness of food fraud. Food fraud threatens both the public's health and the food and agriculture economy. With successful piloting in Michigan, the exercise will be available nationally as a supplement to the FDA's Food Related Emergency Exercise Boxed (FREE-B) set.   The tabletop training exercise will feature participants' interaction surrounding an emerging Food Fraud scenario. This exercise will demonstrate how different agencies and authorities interact at the local, state and federal level and with the private sector.  Participants will also learn about other types of Food Fraud to heighten awareness among authorities and better protect the public's health.  

Training participants will include public health officials, food inspectors, various regulatory authorities and the private sector. Awareness of the public health threat from food fraud is a key tactic in thwarting this growing concern.

The registration link for the Food Fraud Exercise on June 18, 2013 in East Lansing is: zttps://www.foodshield.org/index.cfm/discover-tools-links/mi-tabletop/

Please let Deb Merrill at MDARD know if you have any questions 517-335-4576 or  merrilld@michigan.gov