Food Protection Trends - November/December 2021 - 581

included a " Lord of the Rings " theme, providing comfort
animals, kiwis, kangaroos, Crocodile Dundee...
and yes, even dressing like sheep or sheep herders!
Alas, their brain storming efforts ended abruptly after
discovering this year's Business Meeting would again
be pre-recorded. The news, however, didn't stop the
Affiliate from making their generous donation to the
IAFP Foundation. Thank you, FAFP, for your contribution
again this year!
Wednesday
afternoon's Closing
Session featured
the John H. Silliker
Lecture, presented by
Dr. Barbara Masters,
Vice President of Regulatory
Policy, Food
and Agriculture at
Tyson Foods in
Washington, D.C.
Dr. Masters spoke on
" We All are Working
on the Same Puzzle. "
A summary of Dr. Masters' presentation appears
on page 600. IAFP gratefully acknowledges the
generous contribution made by Mérieux NutriSciences
toward funding this ongoing lecture series.
That evening, 250 attendees came together at
the Awards Banquet in the Convention Center Ballroom
to enjoy a delicious meal and honor more than
two dozen IAFP Members who were recognized for
outstanding contributions to the food safety profession
over the past year. This year's award recipients
are listed on page 582. President Cook closed the
evening on screen from New Zealand with parting
remarks on his term as President and extending
heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all who supported
him throughout his long-distance term as president,
before virtually passing the gavel to his successor,
Ruth Petran, who closed out the Association's first
history-making hybrid Annual Meeting.
Despite the ongoing challenges and demands
throughout 2021 due to COVID-19, IAFP was able to
carefully plan, organize, and execute another successful
Annual Meeting in a much shorter timeframe, providing
attendees the chance to communicate safely in person
after a two-year absence and offering those with travel
restrictions to take part remotely in this year's three
days of sessions and presentations. We cannot thank
our loyal Members, non-Members, sponsors, exhibitors,
and volunteers enough for their allegiance and support
throughout this trying time. The IAFP Staff worked tirelessly
prior to and during this year's event, and can be
proud to know that their long hours devoted to making
IAFP 2021 a success did not go unnoticed. As the
Association President states each year, " IAFP's Annual
Meeting doesn't 'just happen.' It takes many people,
working together, to bring this all together. "
Sizzling heat, high humidity, long days in person
and on the computer, and session and presentation
overload didn't prevent our attendees from quenching
their thirst for food safety in the Valley of the Sun;
basking in the research and presentations; and soaking
up unlimited rays of knowledge. Plan to join us at
IAFP 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July 31-August 3,
when we can hopefully reminisce about surviving
this pandemic - and perhaps give each other real
handshakes and hugs!
9
November/December Food Protection Trends 581
Food Protection Trends - November/December 2021

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