The United Fresh Produce Association has announced the launch of a new Recall Ready Program, designed to help produce industry companies prepare for recalls and provide professional assistance for managing recall events.
Ron Midyett, CEO of Apio and the incoming chairman of the association, announced the new programme during United Fresh 2013 in San Diego.
'The Recall Ready Program is all about meeting the needs of our members in regards to one of our industry's most critical priorities – food safety,' he explained. 'If any of you don't have an up-to-date recall plan, or haven't been through recall training, I strongly urge you to consider this programme.'
Recall Ready is designed to give companies peace of mind and the confidence that they are prepared in advance, and have the resources to respond to any recall situation.
The programme is a partnership between United Fresh and the legal and communications experts at OFW Law and Watson Green, who are counted among the food industry's leading crisis counselling firms.
Companies can choose program service options that include a recall plan review, creation of a custom recall plan, and mock recall training. These programme plans, with fees ranging from US$5,000 to US$15,000, help produce companies prepare for recalls and to learn how to deal with the surprises that can often arise during recalls.
Once companies have completed one of these services to be prepared for a recall, companies can then engage United's Rapid Recall Response Team to provide assistance from United and outside experts from the first moments of a recall crisis.
The plan offers a 24/7 recall hotline and 8 hours total consultation from United and Watson Green, as well as discounts on legal and communications services, if needed, beyond the initial consultation period.
'For minimising the impact of a recall on your business, there's nothing more important than having a plan and making sure your team is prepared to execute that recall plan,' said Dr David Gombas, senior vice-president of food safety and technology at United Fresh.
