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<< back to the 2001 archive listing << Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation My Perspective, January 2001 Resolve to be active in IAFP It’s hard to believe that it’s a new year — in fact, it’s really a new millennium (although many tried to make us believe it was last year). This is a time to reflect back over the past year’s accomplishments and to set goals for the upcoming year. It’s also time for those NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS. First, last year’s accomplishments. IAFP had a great year. Just to illustrate: • First and foremost, we successfully implemented our new name, International Association for Food Protection (although I still hear a few slips — IAMFES was an acronym you could pronounce rather than spell). • Secondly, we had our most successful meeting ever, with over 1,300 attendees (over 16% more than 1999) and a record number of Annual Meeting abstracts were submitted. • Membership topped 3,000 for the first time since 1994. • A record number of articles were submitted to the Journal of Food Protection (in fact, the number of submissions has led the JFP Management Committee to recommend adding a third editor). • Three new Affiliates were given their charter at this year’s Annual Meeting: Mexico, Quebec and the Capital Area (Washington, D.C.). • The IAFP Web site (www. foodprotection.org) has been greatly enhanced, with an online membership directory and e-commerce capabilities. (Many thanks to Bev Corron for all her hard work here.) • The History of the Association has been published. (Thanks to Jack Guzewich and several other Past Presidents, and, of course, to the IAFP staff.) • IAFP held its first workshop outside the US and Canada, in Mexico. (Thanks to Alex Castillo, Bob Brackett and Donna Garren.) With respect to goal setting, the IAFP Board actually sets goals for the Association in the spring. Many of the goals are long-term. Some of the goals we have set are as follows: • Increase Membership 10% by August 31, 2003 (including a proportional increase in international Members). • Increase attendance at our Annual Meeting. • Implement a tiered Sustaining Membership program (more on this below). • Conduct a journal readership survey to gain valuable insight to our readers’ wants and needs and to assist advertisers in directing their ad dollars. (If you are contacted, PLEASE give us your opinions.) IAFP has established a tiered Sustaining Membership program effective January 2001. Sustaining Membership provides organizations and corporations the opportunity to ally themselves with IAFP, with the goal of "Advancing Food Safety Worldwide." Our Sustaining Membership program is a partnership; Sustaining Members help support our activities, including the IAFP Foundation (which funds the Ivan Parkin Lecture, and the Developing Scientist Competition, supports meeting presenter travel and ships surplus journals to the Food and Agriculture Organization for developing countries). IAFP has provided a means for Sustaining Members to enhance their support for educational sessions through higher giving at the Gold and Silver Sustaining Membership levels. (Contact Lisa Hovey for more information on the program.) As you make your New Year’s Resolutions for 2001, consider IAFP in those resolutions. • Resolve to recruit new Members. Do you have co-workers or other contacts who would benefit from Membership? Provide them with an application. Tell them about your positive experiences with the Association. (If you’ve had negative experiences, tell a Board or Staff member — we want to fix problems that are within our power to fix.) • Resolve to make a contribution to Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation. Yes, DFES is in search of articles. Many of you have knowledge that could be shared with others in the field to improve the safety and quality of our food supply. Consider submitting a paper to DFES. • Resolve to nominate someone for an award – there’s still time (nom-inations are due February 19, 2001). • Resolve to contribute to the IAFP Foundation — either through a cash contribution, or donating an item for the silent auction, or bidding on an item at the silent auction. • Resolve to attend this year’s Annual Meeting in August in Minneapolis — you’ll find lots of interesting presentations, you’ll enjoy networking with colleagues, and you’ll have fun at the various social events. • Resolve to join a Professional Development Group (PDG) or volunteer to serve on a Committee. PDGs are open to all who have an interest. Committee members are appointed, but sometimes all it takes is for the Board or Committee Chairperson to know you are interested. • Resolve to do your part to keep IAFP the leading organization in food safety. As many have said, an organization is only as good as its members make it. We need your input and participation. Resolve to provide it. And finally, make a resolution that these will be New Year’s resolutions
that you won’t break. |