College of Agriculture & Natural Resources International Programs

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Global Food Safety Symposium hosts international leaders in food policy, research

Leaders in food safety innovation, research and policy from across the globe gathered at MSU to collaborate on critical issues and emerging trends in the food safety landscape through keynote addresses and interactive panel discussions with leading field experts.

The symposium also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the International Short Course in Food Safety, a program offered at MSU that addresses growing global concerns about food safety amidst increasing demand and international trade complexities.

“Food safety is a global issue and education in this area is crucial. We’ve trained more than 800 food safety professionals, creating an excellent global network that is actively collaborating to make a difference. In the future, we hope to take this program to different regions and broaden our global reach.”

-Dr. Karim Maredia, Assistant Dean And Director Of CANR International Programs

Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences Global Leaders in Potato Breeding and Genetics

As the Project Director of the USAID- funded Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership, Dr. David S. Douches is known worldwide for his leadership in potato breeding and genetics and has released over 30 varieties. The Global Biotech Potato Partnership works to bring a late blight resistant potato to Southeast Asia. Late blight, the cause of the Irish potato famine, is the most serious of all potato diseases with an estimated $6.7 billion annually in global yield losses and control costs.

The partnership is led by MSU and consists of agreements with the University of Minnesota, University of Idaho, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Indonesian Center for Agricultural Biotechnology Genetic Resources Research and Development, International Potato Center and the J.R. Simplot Company.

"As humans, we all want healthy, nutritious, sustainable food crops that are safe and environmentally friendly. As a plant breeder, I want the same and believe we can achieve this using a combination of innovative tools developed from the past, the present, and our future. This includes biotechnology."

- DR. David S. Douches, Director Of USAID Feed The Future Global Biotech Partnership Department Of Plant, Soil And Microbial Sciences