Food Defense Management Online | May 13-14, 2025

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Food Defense + Crisis Management
Does your company have a plan to prevent “intentional adulteration” of your products by an inside attacker?  FDA is requiring companies to assess this risk.  What about a crisis management plan that addresses a crisis situation like a intentional adulteration or a bomb threat?  These are some of the topics covered in this combination FSPCA food defense course (IAVA) and the Global Food Defense Institute’s (Rod Wheeler) “StreetSmart” approach to crisis management.

On Day 1, attendees will learn how to conduct  vulnerability assessments for acts of intentional adulteration using the newest FDA/FSPCA recommended approach by considering the risks in your facility from an “inside attacker”. Attendees will also learn the popular “hybrid method” that blends together the utilization of Key Activity Types (KAT’s) and the 3 key elements for conducting vulnerability assessments.

Day 2 is filled with eye-popping, real-life crisis events that will keep attendees on the edge of their seats. Rod Wheeler will share his insights into recent crisis situations and challenge attendees to think about their own vulnerabilities and how to be ready when faced with emergency scenarios.

WHAT SKILLS CAN STUDENTS EXPECT TO LEARN?

Attendees will learn how to conduct vulnerability assessments for intentional adulteration risks at their individual facilities by using the three element and hybrid approaches recommended by FDA as well as how to manage real-life, crisis situations. The course agenda is as follows:

Day 1: Intentional Adulteration – Conducting Vulnerability Assessments (FSPCA Curriculum and Certificate)

• Overview of Food Defense measures
• Vulnerability assessment preliminary steps
• How to consider inherent characteristics in your operation
• Consideration of an inside attacker
• Element 1: Evaluating the potential health impact of potential adulteration
• Element 2: Evaluating the degree of physical access to the product
• Element 3: Evaluating the ability of an inside attacker to successfully contaminate product
• Identifying actionable process steps
• Using the hybrid method

Day 2: GFDI’s Food Defense, Crisis Management, Emergency Preparedness

• Suspicious Note Workshop
• Food defense overview – the past, present and future of food defense
• Streetsmart food defense
• Bomb threats and suspicious mail
• Emergency evacuations
• Crisis/Incident Management
• Workplace violence
• Active shooter readiness

RECOMMENDED PRE-REQUISITE COURSE

Attendees are strongly encouraged to take the FSPCA online Key Activity Types course before attending this course.  The KAT course can be found here  KAT Online Course.

Participant manuals can be ordered through FSPCA here.  Printed manuals are not provided for online courses.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Our online training platform is Zoom.  Attendees must be comfortable with virtual-style learning and have the following:

• picture ID
• webcam
• high-speed, uninterrupted internet access
• microphone (computer microphone is usually acceptable)
• unique email
• quiet room for training

Attendees will be required to verify ID before the course.  This can be achieved by a private Zoom room chat at the beginning of the course.

Participation in course exercises is also required.  Attendees will be called upon by the instructor to share exercise answers and to participate in other class discussions.  

INSTRUCTORS

Lance Roberie of Food Safety and Quality Services
Rod Wheeler of the Global Food Defense Institute

1. FSPCA Certificate of Completion for Conducting Vulnerability Assessments
2. GFDI Certificate for Global Food Defense and Crisis Management