Conference for Food Protection

The 2010 - 2012 Constitution and Bylaws/Procedures Committee has created definitions for each of the existing constituencies that represents the Conference for Food Protection membership. Current constituencies include: Regulatory - Local, State, District/Territory and Federal; Industry - Retail, Food Service, Processing and Vending; Academia; and Consumer. While each constituency is identified in the Conference for Food Protection Constitution and Bylaws by title, these constituencies do not currently have a clear definition for what comprises each.

Additionally, the Committee has sought to create definitions for several new constituencies that incorporate the expanding types of members who seek to be active participants in the Conference process. The largest majority of current members in the Conference for Food Protection are categorized as "other" because they do not fall within the existing Conference constituencies. New constituencies for consideration by the Conference include: Food Industry Support, Emeritus (retiree), and Student. The Vending Industry constituency has been expanded to include the Distribution Food Industry as a shared constituency titled 'Vending and Distribution Food Industry".

Creation of the new constituencies does not alter representation to the CFP Executive Board, Councils, or to the Conference Voting Delegates as currently prescribed in the CFP Constitution and Bylaws.

The Constitution and Bylaws/Procedure Committee shall submit recommendations to improve the Conference administrative functions through proposals to amend the Constitution and Bylaws and Conference Procedures.

newly created language, noted below, relative to definitions for Conference constituencies, as developed by the Constitution and Bylaws/Procedures Committee, be incorporated into the Conference for Food Protection Constitution and Bylaws in Article III Registration and Membership, as a new Section 5 (all new language is in underline format).

Article III Registration and Membership

Section 5. Membership in the Conference is classified into constituencies that are representative of the key stakeholder groups which support the objectives of Article I and facilitate the requirements of Article IV. The Conference constituencies are defined as follows:

Subsection 1. Regulatory is comprised of those officers, agents or authorized representatives having authority over the regulation of food establishments, production, processing, vending, or distribution, or has oversight for prevention of foodborne illness in accordance with rule and/or law in their respective governmental jurisdiction. Sub-categories of this constituency include:

a. Local Regulator = government employee or agent representing a territorial division of local government with responsibility for regulation of food establishments, production, processing, vending or distribution, or has oversight for prevention of foodborne illness.

b. State Regulator = government employee or agent representing a territorial division of state government with responsibility for regulation of food establishments, production, processing, vending or distribution, or has oversight for prevention of foodborne illness.

c. Federal Regulator = government employee or agent representing a program or agency of the Federal Government with responsibility for regulation of food establishments, production, processing, vending or distribution, or has oversight for prevention of foodborne illness.

d. District/Territory Regulator = government employee or agent representing the U.S. District of Columbia or one of the six U.S. Territories with responsibility for regulation of food establishments, production, processing, vending or distribution, or has oversight for prevention of foodborne illness.

Subsection 2. Industry is comprised of those employees, agents or executives representing business entities that operate food establishment(s), production, processing, vending, or distribution; or, providers of an industry related service to such food operations; or, representatives of a professional organization or trade association that promotes, supports and/or markets to/for the food industry or its related services. Sub-categories of this constituency include:

a. Food Service Industry = employees, agents or executives representing business entities that operate food service establishments. Examples include, but are not limited to, restaurants of all sizes/types/styles of service, caterers, military food service, institutional and other health care food service, schools and university food service, common carrier food service (planes, trains, etc.), corporate food service operations, and government food service.

b. Retail Food Industry = employees, agents or executives representing business entities that operate retail food establishments. Examples include, but are not limited to, grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, retail pharmacies, produce markets, roadside stands, department stores, warehouse sales clubs, seafood markets, retail bakeries, military base PX/groceries, and liquor stores.

c. Processing Food Industry = employees, agents or executives representing business entities that manufacture, process, package or label food items for wholesale sale. Examples include, but are not limited to, commercial food manufacturing, canning, packaging, commercial bakeries, commercial meat slaughter and processing, packing houses and distribution centers, farming and agricultural processing and packing operations, ice processing, and packing plants.

d. Vending and Distribution Food Industry = employees, agents or executives representing business entities that own and/or operate food companies that vend or distribute food either wholesale or retail. Examples include, but are not limited to, coffee and food vending service companies, service companies, commissaries, food supply chain operators, wholesale distributer, shipping lines, brokers, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers of products and services to operating service companies.

Subsection 3. Food Industry Support = employees, agents or executives representing business entities that provide direct or support services to food service establishments, retail food establishments, processing food operations, vending and distribution food operations. Examples include, but are not limited to, professional organizations, trade associations, pest control companies, auditing firms, standards associations, consultants, cleaning and sanitation management operations, training and/or testing companies or services, equipment and supply operations, software and technology, dieticians or dietary managers, media and legal representatives.

Subsection 4. Academia = academic professionals employed by a college or university involved in education or research involving food sciences, food operations, or food safety. Examples include, but are not limited to, professors, adjunct instructors, researchers, teaching assistants, and extension agents.

Subsection 5. Consumer = employees, agents or executives representing consumer advocacy organizations supporting food safety, food wholesomeness, allergen awareness, food policy matters and food standards and guidelines.

Subsection 6. Emeritus = members retired or honorably discharged from full-time work and no longer receiving compensation for work related to the Conference's mission. This constituency is designed for those professionals who, prior to retirement, were members of any Conference stake holder group in good standing of the Conference for Food Protection for at least three biennial cycles (6 years). Previous membership does not have to be in contiguous biennial cycles. An emeritus member may participate as an attendee/observer in all usual Conference functions such as attending the Biennial Meeting, including workshops, Council deliberations, Assembly of Delegates, and social functions. Emeritus members may serve as a member of a Council Committee, as a Council Committee Chair and participate and vote in constituency caucus meetings. The Executive Board may elect to assign an emeritus member to participate in other Conference related activities.

Subsection 7. Student = any student enrolled in a two-year, four-year, or graduate program in a college or university involving food sciences, food operations or food safety. A student member may participate as an attendee/observer in all usual Conference functions such as attending the Biennial Meeting, including workshops, Council deliberations, Assembly of Delegates, and social functions. Student members may serve as a member of a Council Committee. The Executive Board may elect to assign a student member to participate in other Conference related activities.