About Us
Texas Food Safety and Defense Task Force
Purpose Statement
The Texas Food Safety and Defense Task Force provides a forum to discuss food safety and security issues along the farm to fork continuum with a primary focus on Texas. The purpose of the Task Force is to maintain an open dialogue with all partners in food safety and defense in order to promote an efficient food safety system in Texas that maximizes the protection of public health.
The Task Force acknowledges that all members come to the table with expertise in food safety and with different perspectives regarding their position within the farm to fork continuum. The Task Force respects those differences and considers all perspectives as critical to the food safety discussion. All members of the Task Force have an equal voice.
The Task Force is comprised of Academia, Industry Associations, Consumer Associations and Regulatory Agencies at the local, state, and federal levels.
Current membership includes:
- Texas AgriLife Extention (Texas A&M University)
- University of Houston
- Grocery Manufacturers Association (vacant)
- Texas Food & Fuel Association
- Texas Restaurant Association
- Texas Retailers Association
- Texas Vegetable Association
- Consumers Union
- City Of McKinney
- Texas International Produce Association
- Texas Environmental Health Association
- Office of the Texas State Chemist
- Texas Department of Agriculture
- Texas Department of State Health Services
- U. S. Food and Drug Administration
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (vacant)
- Austin/Travis County HHSD Environmental Health Services
- Local Health Departments (2 seats vacant)