Workshop Agenda

A Collaborative Effort from the USAID, USDA, World Food Program (WFP) and Michigan State University (MSU)
October 23-25, 2023

Main Contacts: Cimberly Weir, cimberly@msu.ed; Ruffo Perez, ruperez@usaid.gov
IT Support: Betsy Braid, braidbet@msu.edu

The Main Objective of our Seminar: Gather key food aid stakeholders to discuss the current status of food aid commodity packaging, challenges, new technological advances, potential solutions, and identify next steps in optimizing food aid packaging. The workshop should result in a report outlining specific steps to address current challenges using readily available technologies, as well as research and innovation opportunities within the next three years to five years.

Day 1, October 23, 2023
Time (US EDT)	Topic	Speakers / Organizations
9:00-9:10 a.m.	Welcome, Introduction, Expectations, Review of the Agenda	Matthew Daum, Director, MSU School of Packaging Ruffo Perez, Sr. Food Technology Advisor, USAID
9:10-10:10 a.m.	Food that is not safe is not food, food that is not packaged effectively is not safe. Packaging, food safety, health and nutrition: Recent Incidents in the Humanitarian Supply Chain Packaging and supply chain management	Moderated by Ruffo Perez, USAID Ruffo Perez, USAID Bahar Aliakbarian, Sr., R&D Director Associate Professor, Axia Institute – Michigan State University
10:10-10:20 a.m.	Coffee / Tea Break
The Broader Food Assistance Sustainable Packaging Solutions and Systems
10:20 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.	The Material Neutrality of Food Packaging Sustainable materials management Sustainable packaging science Revisiting green packaging from a cost perspective Methodology to perform lifecycle assessment in the humanitarian context	A PANEL Moderated by: Greg Rulifson, USAID Rafael Auras, Professor, MSU Nicole Unger, Life Cycle Assessment Specialist, MONDI Caroline James DeLoach, Director of Sustainability, Atlantic Packaging Greg Rulifson, USAID
12:00-12:30 p.m.	The Joint Initiative for Sustainable Humanitarian Assistance Packaging Waste Management	Led by Greg Rulifson, USAID
12:30-1:30 p.m.	Lunch (on your own) MSU International Center food court
1:30-2:50 p.m.	Packaging Technologies and Food Infestation The pet food industry case study Innovations in human food supply chain Incident management at WFP and packaging controls at WFP	FernandoPetri, Royal Canin Global Quality & Food Safety in Market and Distribution Coordinator, Mars Carole Manceau, WFP Nasir ADEPOJU, WFP Packaging Specialist
2:50-3:30 p.m.	Implementation of Key Performing Indicators (KPIs) for Packaging Quality Monitoring	Jennifer Phillips, Director of Operation, Edesia Nutrition Randy Kleiboer, Director of Quality Assurance, Henrry Broch Foods Nick Vena, President, Pearl International, Inc.
3:30-3:40 p.m.	Coffee / Tea Break
3:40-4:25 p.m.	Hermetic Packaging Technologies, Trials, and Innovations	Jordan Dey and Diego Lara, GrainPro Sustainable Technologies
4:25-5:00 p.m.	Sustainability: How Opposing Market Forces Lead Food Producers to Innovative Solutions - A Case Study on Shelf Life and Quality	Bill Burnard, Inficon
5-5:30p.m.	Wrap-up First Day
6:30-8 p.m.	Group Dinner The Story of MANA Nutrition	Mark Moore, MANA Nutrition

Day 2, October 24, 2023
Time (US EDT)	Topic	Speakers / Organizations
Updates on Streamworks under the Humanitarian Food Sustainable Packaging Agenda
8:00-8:05 a.m.	Second day overview and Expectations	Ruffo Perez, USAID Cimberly Weir, MSU
8:05-9:05 a.m.	Packaging Standardization Project: The Case of Super Cereal Plus and Lipid-Based Therapeutic Foods	Moderated by: Ruffo Perez, USAID SCP: David Silver, Didion Milling LNS: Jennifer Phillips, Edesia
9:05-10:30 a.m.	Packaging Research Areas with Application to Food Aid Climate Change-responsive technologies Adding Value to Packaging Waste Multiaxis, the next Frontier of Distribution Testing	Moderated by: Ruffo Perez, USAID Tony Black, Flexible Packaging Solutions (FPS) Joseph A. Klatt, Precious Plastic Solutions Amin Joodaky, Assistant Professor, MSU School of Packaging
10:30-10:40 a.m.	Coffee / Tea Break
10:40 am. - 12:40 p.m.	Sustainable Packaging Stakeholders Engagement Stations Flexible Packaging Solutions (FPS) Sustainable Packaging Joint Initiative (JI) GrainPRO Hermetic Packaging Technologies United Nations World Food Program (WFP) The Didion Milling Company INFICON Americas Packaging Integrity Testing Edesia Nutrition-Packaging Improvement JohnPac Grain Packaging Technology MANA Nutrition-Packaging Improvement	Packaging Exhibit Areas at MSU School of Packaging Hallway
12:40-1:40 p.m.	Lunch (on your own) MSU International Center food court
1:40-2:40 p.m.	Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Packaging Innovation, as it Applies to Food Aid	Euihark Lee, Assistant Professor, MSU School of Packaging
2:40-3:40 p.m.	MSU School of Packaging Laboratory / Packaging Testing Facility Visit / Tour	TBD
3:40-4:15 p.m.	MSU Dairy Store Break
4:15-5:00 p.m.	Wrap-up main technical part of the meeting Virtual conference concludes here	Ruffo Perez, USAID

Day 3, October 25, 2023
Time (US EDT)	Topic	Speakers / Organizations
9 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (With break at 10 a.m.)	Group 1. Options to Reduce Environmental Impact throughout the Supply Chain with a Focus on Packaging	Group 1 Leads: Greg Rulifson, USAID and Carole Manceau, WFP
9 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (With break at 10 a.m.)	Group 2. Ongoing Discussion on Packaging Trial/Pilot Project Hermetic packaging Oil and flour repackaging Food for Education	Group 2 Leads: USAID/WFP/Suppliers Dan Webber, Mary Florence Ngima
12:00-12:30 p.m.	Wrap-up and end of Workshop. Adjourn	Ruffo Perez, USAID Cimberly Weir, MSU