International Fresh Produce Expands Food Safety Support With New Hires

January 11, 2022

Newark, De. and Washington D.C. - The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) announces the addition of Gretchen Wall as director, food safety & quality, as well as the promotion of Dr. Emily Griep to vice president, regulatory compliance & global food safety standards. The moves are a part of IFPA’s commitment to serving as the industry’s source of support and advocacy in produce safety.

“The launch of IFPA gave us an opportunity to reflect on the current status and anticipate the future needs of the global produce supply chain,” said Dr. Jennifer McEntire, chief food safety and regulatory officer. “The industry continues to put tremendous resources toward produce safety, and as the industry association, our team will provide expanded resources to help IFPA members stay on top of new knowledge and requirements related to produce safety.”

IFPA serves as a resource on food safety not only for members and the produce industry, but also to regulatory partners, policy makers, and members of the media within North America and other global markets. This will be seen in future offerings including an upcoming webinar for Central and South American markets on the newly proposed ag water rule.

“My doctoral work focused on food safety in global markets, and I am excited to use these experiences to support the breadth of the IFPA membership,” said Dr. Griep. “Consumers everywhere deserve to eat safe produce, and I look forward to supporting globally harmonized, science-based, practical produce safety standards.”

Prior to taking on this role, Griep served as manager, food safety, for the United Fresh Produce Association.

IFPA launched on January 1, 2022, officially succeeding legacy organizations, Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association. IFPA will continue the legacy of PMA and UFPA, providing extensive training and professional development opportunities for members looking to expand or solidify their produce safety knowledge, an area where new hire, Gretchen Wall will be an invaluable resource.

“I’ve spent the past 10 years helping growers understand and apply the regulations and practices that govern produce safety,” said Wall, who joins IFPA from the Cornell University-based Produce Safety Alliance. “My earlier experiences with cold chain and quality issues will allow me to give holistic support to members who often manage food safety and quality.”

The addition of Wall and promotion of Griep provide a solid foundation of produce safety support for the industry. IFPA has already shown the expanded scope of services that industry members can take advantage of, including the inaugural Virtual Town Hall held on January 5 which focused on produce quality and the upcoming February 9 session that will focus on Recall Readiness.

All further inquiries can be made to director of communications, Siobhan May, smay@freshproduce.com.

International Fresh Produce Expands Food Safety Support With New Hires

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