Conference Overview:

Sponsorship:

Speaking:

Sponsored By:

Supported By:

DAY ONE: Wednesday October 18th, 2006

8:00 AM

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:45 AM

Opening Remarks from the Chairperson

Gary Fread, President & CEO, GUELPH FOOD TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

Keynote

9:00 AM

Can-Trace Update: What has it accomplished for you? What can it do for you?

The Can-Trace initiative began three years ago in a burst of energy and enthusiasm. The result is whole-chain food traceability standards that can be used by producers through to retailers.

• Determine the importance of a common traceability standard
• Learn why your company should adopt one
• How will Can-Trace fit in with the new thrust by the federal government to put a national traceability program in place?

Come and get an update on the Can-Trace project, and see the benefits for your company.

Norm Cheesman, Director, CAN-TRACE/Directeur, CAN-TRACE

Industry Expert

9:45 AM

How to Build a National Traceability System: Add Value, Save Money and Increase Revenue

Determine how producers, processors, transportation, and retail organizations can justify traceability and make it happen. Learn the principles and starting actions that will help.

• Make the business case for enhancing your traceability capability
• Position your company to share traceability data with key partners
• Learn first steps to implement your traceability system

Poise your organization to comply with national requirements and take advantage of the commercial advantages of traceability.

Brian Sterling, Director, RFID & Product Traceability, IBM CANADA

10:15 AM

Networking Break

Interact with conference speakers and fellow attendees

Case Study: BASF

10:45 AM

Leverage Whole-chain Traceability to Reduce Cost, Increase Productivity, Create Competitive Advantage, and Increase Strategic Profile

There have been significant new technologies developed in food safety related tracebacks. Increasingly, tracing globally has become the key to information sharing across a variety of transportation mediums.

• Example: the TELOP-TRACE project in farmed salmon (first electronic whole-chain traceable market segment)
• Reasons for whole-chain traceability

Determine how to enhance your internal traceability capabilities through the implementation of incremental, scalable, and cost-effective technology applications.

Cristian Barcan, Project Manager, Traceability and Food Safety, BASF AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT (Germany)

Industry Expert

11:30 AM

Critical Regulatory Update from the EU That Will Impact How You Do Business and Export

Building your competitive advantage in key export markets demands close attention to changing regulatory environments around the world.

• How are food laws improving consumer safety in these jurisdictions?
• Trade, food safety, and health issues on the radar – what is being closely monitored?
• Assess the steps you need to take to remain competitive in a global market!

Take away important updates and insights from the government officials driving traceability.

Ray Ellard, Director Audit Compliance, FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY OF IRELAND

12:15 PM

Sponsorship Exhibition and Networking Luncheon

This is your opportunity to make new business contacts and discuss the ideas presented in the morning session.

Case Study: Atlantic Beef Products Inc.

1:45 PM

Identify the Business Drivers of Traceability: Improve Food Safety, Brand Recognition, and Revenue Generation

Having the ability to trace materials and products throughout the supply chain has become an integral part of doing business. Manufacturers and processors choose to trace food for food safety, security, and to build their brand.

• Use traceability to assist with your supply chain
• Identify how you can build your branding advantage using traceability
• Utilize traceability for transport and for support activities

Walk away from this session with an understanding of the key drivers affecting traceability.

Bruce Andrews, Purchasing Manager, ATLANTIC BEEF PRODUCTS INC.
Dean Baglole, Chairman of the Board, ATLANTIC BEEF PRODUCTS INC.

Case Study: Popeye’s Chicken and Biscuits

2:30 PM

Mitigate Food Safety Risks During Transport Through Whole-chain Traceability

Anytime perishables are handled, there are shelf life and safety issues. Maintenance of proper temperatures during shipment from suppliers to distributors to restaurants is the key to preserving product integrity and safety.

• Understand the importance of using reputable suppliers and distributors
• Monitor products during transport, and how they can be employed to maintain product integrity and to trace sources of mishandling and abuse
• Learn how to effectively code labels in order to facilitate rapid product traceability in emergencies

Come away from this session with effective methods to mitigate safety risks during shipment of products.

Veny Gapud, Director of Quality Assurance and Food Scientist, POPEYE’S CHICKEN AND BISCUITS

3:15 PM

NETWORKING BREAK

Interact with conference speakers and fellow attendees

Industry Experts Panel

3:45 PM

BSE and the Avian Flu: Learn the Real Threat to Your Business and Gain Strategies to Protect Your Company

Although traceability aims to minimize the risk of potential crises, any number of adverse events could result in closed borders, increasing public alarm and constant media attention.

• Prepare for any potential crises
• Ensure that your system is effective in responding to disease

Find out where the real threat is and how to protect your company and consumers.

Robert Burden, Avian Influenza Project Coordinator, NATIONAL FEATHER AGENCIES
Julie Stitt, Executive Director and Administrator, CANADIAN CATTLE IDENTIFICATION AGENCY

4:30 PM

Day One Adjourns

DAY TWO: Thursday October 19th, 2006

8:00 AM

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:45 AM

Recap of Day One by Chair

Industry Expert

9:00 AM

Invest in the Right Productivity: Traceability is FREE

Companies big and small are investing to increase revenues, decrease costs, and get traceability as a free by-product. Spending money on traceability can only increase costs. Investing in productivity, with traceability as a “free” bonus, is the key to improving your competitive position in the global market. For some organizations, it is the key to survival.

• Using traceability for credence attributes, authentication, cold chain monitoring, and other sources of new revenue, not just food safety
• Using traceability to drive down costs; practical examples from the real world
• Using technology to collect traceability data – faster, better, cheaper – and using that data to drive new value in your value chain
• Finding some government funding to reduce your investment

Frank Hennigar, President, GLOBAL FOOD EXCELLENCE

Case Study: Research and Productivity Council

9:45 AM

DNA Traceability: Revolutionize the Way You Can Track Products

DNA traceability programs have far-reaching benefits for food safety and enhance the value proposition of traceability.

• Develop gene panels that provide the foundation for traceability
• Enhance your ability to provide live animal tracking systems
• Implement a database featuring a computerized search engine that will quickly match DNA from a piece of meat to the mother’s identity

Enhance your food traceability programs and obtain first hand experience from industry experts.

Rachael Ritchie, D.Phil., Head, Food Fisheries & Aquaculture Department, RESEARCH & PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL (RPC)

10:30 AM

Networking Break

Interact with conference speakers and fellow attendees

Case Study: Birds Eye Foods

11:00 AM

From Supply Chain to Value Chain: Facilitating Communication and Information Sharing Across the Supply Chain

One of the exciting benefits of traceability is the amount of information made available throughout the supply chain. Birds Eye Foods has implemented ASIS, the Agriculture Services Information System, to provide traceability for every step of the raw product production chain. Learn more about this program and how Birds Eye Foods uses it to:

• Link every food package to the plant, truck, harvester, and grower
• Take raw product safety to a higher level
• Quickly retrieve essential data

Take away the strategies you need to develop an efficient data system to improve your food traceability program.

Rhett Smith, Director of ASIS Implementation, BIRDS EYE FOODS

Standards Panel

11:45 AM

Enhance Food Safety, Ensure a Solid Supply Chain, and Manage Recalls with Whole-chain Traceability Standards

The best traceability system in the food industry is one that is cost-effective and practical to implement, given our current trade practices, accepted internationally, and will satisfy binding regulations. Both the system and the results must be verifiable and verified.

• Incorporate a broad range of industry applications, to ensure a solid chain of custody along the food chain
• Enhance, don’t complicate, food safety
• Support similar systems required for such claims as “organic,” “antibiotic free,” or “Kosher,” as examples

Learn how to facilitate the tracking, and withdrawal, if required of products, while at the same time protecting the non-essential product information.

John Kukoly, Development Manager – Food Safety, QMI

….more to come

12:30 PM

Sponsorship Exhibition and Networking Luncheon

Join the conference speakers and your peers for a relaxing luncheon. This is your opportunity to make new business contacts and discuss the ideas presented in the morning session.

Luncheon Keynote

2:00 PM

How to Succeed Under Increased Security Measures, and the Bioterrorism Preparedness Act

Gain expert insight on complying with the Bioterrorism Preparedness Act of 2002.

• Update on the Bioterrorism Act and how it affects your business
• Review current guidelines and how your traceability initiatives will keep your organization ahead of your competitors
• The future of traceability and its role in trade relations

Turn expert insight into a competitive advantage and proactive traceability standards that achieve regulatory compliance.

Lyle Jackson, Food and Agriculture Sector Specialist, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Dr. Andrea Morgan, Associate Deputy Director, USDA VETERINARY SERVICES

Industry Expert

2:45 PM

Crisis Management: Effective Strategies to Mitigate Losses and Maintain Consumer Confidence During a Critical Event

An efficient traceability program can mitigate losses and give your marketing department the tools it needs to see your company successfully through times of crisis.

• Create a consistent message for maximum impact
• Manage the media
• Maintain close contact with industry partners and key stakeholders

Take away the strategies you need to ensure that you maximize on the benefits of a traceability program.

3:15 PM

Networking Break

Interact with conference speakers and fellow attendees

Case Study: Ocean Nutrition Canada

3:45 PM

Dealing with Global Compliance Issues: Staying on Top of Conflicting Requirements with an Efficient Traceability System to Satisfy Regulations and Your Customers

Ocean Nutrition Canada is a Canadian company whose market is primarily international. They are mandated to comply with all regulations for products and ingredients in all countries to which they export. They are also mandated by non-regulatory requirements dictated to by customers and the areas in which they are commercially active.

• Clarify conflicting requirements around food traceability
• Manage your traceability system on a global scale
• Strengthen your regulatory and non-regulatory compliance

Come away with the strategies you need to develop an efficient traceability system and strengthen your regulatory and non-regulatory compliance.

Janet Shay, Vice-President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs, OCEAN NUTRITION CANADA

Special Presentation: Federal Minister of Agriculture

4:30 PM

Canadian Traceability Legislation Is On The Horizon. Are You Prepared?

Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture have unanimously supported moving quickly on a National Agriculture and Agri-Food Traceability System. Are you prepared to meet new changes?

• Hear first hand what Canada’s Agriculture Ministers are planning
• Ensure that you are up-to-date with new regulations

New regulations will influence the way you do business. Attend this session to find out what you need to know to be ahead of the curve.

Honourable Chuck Strahl, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD and MINISTER FOR THE CANADIAN WHEAT BOARD (may be subject to schedule)

5:15 PM

Conference Adjourns