Accomplishing My Food Safety Dreams

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in learning about food safety and advancing my career with the help of this forum - hopefully as an alternative to getting a food safety degree. I earned a bachelor of arts degree in an unrelated field that led me to a great fascination with fresh produce. Below is my professional path to gaining knowledge and expertise. 

• Writing degree (4 yr)
• Food science journalist (6 yr)
• Horticulture certificate program (1 yr)
• Botanical garden intern (1 yr)
• Aquaponic farm intern (4 mo)
• Indoor hydroponic farmer turned farm production manager (2 yr)
• Seasonal fruit and veg buyer for high-end restaurants and home delivery (2 yr)
• Supply chain manager for a regional US restaurant chain (1 yr)

I'm hoping to leverage my experience and desire to learn to become a food safety specialist in some capacity. Food safety and quality control are the two areas of the fresh produce industry that interest me the most. I like learning about the different factors involved in maintaining safety, quality, freshness, and top-level procurement for every different category of produce. I also find that I thrive on having at least some sensory experience with produce on a weekly basis - getting to see, touch, smell, and/or taste produce, whether it's out in the field, at a market, or in a cold warehouse.

I'm trying to figure out how I can create a good living for myself in the fresh produce industry without being relegated 100% of the time to a desk and without having to secure a higher level degree in agriculture or food sciences. I'm hopeful that I can gain the necessary knowledge and insight through this forum to follow this dream.

What can I do to improve my professional standing in the world of food safety while I work full time as a supply chain manager?  I see employers looking for comprehensive knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, and GAPs and experience with SQF, Primus, BRC, and USDA audits. I paid out of pocket for PCQI certification last year. What should I look at now?

Hi everyone,

 

I'm interested in learning about food safety and advancing my career with the help of this forum - hopefully as an alternative to getting a food safety degree. I earned a bachelor of arts degree in an unrelated field that led me to a great fascination with fresh produce. Below is my professional path to gaining knowledge and expertise. 

• Writing degree (4 yr)
• Food science journalist (6 yr)
• Horticulture certificate program (1 yr)
• Botanical garden intern (1 yr)
• Aquaponic farm intern (4 mo)
• Indoor hydroponic farmer turned farm production manager (2 yr)
• Seasonal fruit and veg buyer for high-end restaurants and home delivery (2 yr)
• Supply chain manager for a regional US restaurant chain (1 yr)

I'm hoping to leverage my experience and desire to learn to become a food safety specialist in some capacity. Food safety and quality control are the two areas of the fresh produce industry that interest me the most. I like learning about the different factors involved in maintaining safety, quality, freshness, and top-level procurement for every different category of produce. I also find that I thrive on having at least some sensory experience with produce on a weekly basis - getting to see, touch, smell, and/or taste produce, whether it's out in the field, at a market, or in a cold warehouse.

 

I'm trying to figure out how I can create a good living for myself in the fresh produce industry without being relegated 100% of the time to a desk and without having to secure a higher level degree in agriculture or food sciences. I'm hopeful that I can gain the necessary knowledge and insight through this forum to follow this dream.

 

What can I do to improve my professional standing in the world of food safety while I work full time as a supply chain manager?  I see employers looking for comprehensive knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, and GAPs and experience with SQF, Primus, BRC, and USDA audits. I paid out of pocket for PCQI certification last year. What should I look at now?

Hi MP,

Thanks for the interesting resume and Welcome to the Forum ! :welcome:

I didn't know that Degrees in Writing existed. :smile:

Your FS interests are focussed on a highly variegated and complicated Food Category. IIRC one of the  Finalists in the USFDA's" Dirty Dozen" Products of ca 2020 from a statistical Food Safety POV.

As you have already, I think, deduced, relevant "Qualifications" have become increasingly sought by Employers over the last 2 decades which has generated a massive range of Training Courses / Webinars, etc (eg see the huge free Video Archive on this Forum).

Your options may significantly relate to your specific Geographical Location or maybe online. I guess you are in USA somewhere.

Fresh Produce not my area of expertise but there are some members active in this field on the Forum who can hopefully make some specific suggestions.

PS - I anticipate PCQI qualification requires a substantial capability/knowledge of HACCP  which IMO is the minimum requirement to be able to appreciate GFSI-recognized Standards.

Hi!

You have a very interesting background. I immediately thought of our organic inspector who had a similar background. She enjoys her job because there is some traveling involved, she gets to spend a lot of time on farms or in food processing facilities, and she also spends a little time doing the related prep and wrap-up of the inspections online.

Good luck!

It sounds like you are doing all the right things! I do not believe you would need to go and get another degree. Taking certificate classes like the PCQI one you did is the perfect route to go. There will be a new FDA Traceability Rule being enacted at the end of the month. This will affect the fresh produce industry. You should work with your current Food Safety Manager at your facility to become more involved in the food safety plan and also help decide on changes coming with the traceability rule. You'd gain some experience there.

You could also transition into supply chain quality role. This deals with the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs, performing audits on your suppliers, and creating food safety & quality specifications those ingredients must meet. 

 As long as you showcase your experience and the continued education you have been doing, you will be able to land that dream job  :smile:

Before I got into food safety, I sold insurance and prior to that I was an estimator for a painting contractor.  Since my entry into food safety as a quality supervisor about 10 years ago, I've completed a bachelors in distribution and transportation management and worked a consulting gig with a partner for a number of years.  On the job, I got HACCP certified, took some implementing SQF certification courses, and recently got PCQI'd.

I share my background to show you don't have to have a perfectly aligned education background, or advanced degrees in food science, to make a career out of food safety.  There's plenty to be said about on the job experience, and I'd say your experience and education make you a solid candidate to pursue what you're after.  Keep an eye out for jobs that look interesting to you, work your industry contacts to see if you can get your foot in a door anywhere, and go chase that dream.