VOLUME 13 ~ SEPTEMBER 2025
I am delighted to be sharing this update with you in my first month at FPSC. The centre has some really impactful work underway already, and I am excited about the many opportunities we have to increase collaboration and improve food safety outcomes in the fresh produce industry going forward.
For those who don’t know me, I am originally from Ireland and now live in Wellington with my wife where we have been based since 2015. Prior to joining FPSC, I was the General Manager of NZGAP (New Zealand Good Agricultural Practice) at Horticulture New Zealand, which enables the production and supply of safe and sustainable fruit and vegetables via certification programmes for Food Safety, Social Practice and Environment. I have nearly a decade of experience in the horticulture industry, and previously I attained a degree and PhD in Biosystems Engineering at University College Dublin which included studying modules in food engineering, food safety, bioprocessing and crop science.
I am very excited about leading FPSC and collaborating with you on strategic food safety initiatives across New Zealand and Australia. The centre acts as a conduit between research and implementation, facilitating connections between all aspects of the food safety system. We will continue to provide support to industry, especially in times of need, by being the primary source of helpful information, the trusted voice in fresh produce safety, and the connection with a competent support network.
I look forward to engaging with you on current food safety initiatives as well as any ideas, opportunities or suggestions you may have. Please reach out if you’d like to catch up with me.
Kind regards,
Damien
CEO, Fresh Produce Safety Centre
ceo@fpsc-anz.com
+64 27 536 8063
In this edition:
- International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium 2025 (IFPSS25)
- Announcing the dates for IFPSS26
- 2025 review of Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety
- Collaborating to strengthen Fresh Produce Food Safety in New Zealand
- Growing connections, supporting industry and building knowledge on food safety
- Expanding food safety outreach across the fresh produce sector
- FREE Fresh Produce Food Safety Helpdesk
- The Fresh and Safe Podcast: Now streaming on YouTube and Spotify
Engagement and other updates:
- Congratulations to Phil Bremer
- Hort Connections 2025
- New Zealand Horticulture Conference 2025
- Food Industries Association of Queensland (FIAQ) Food Safety Conference 2025
- VegNET NSW Asian Vegetable Innovation Field Day
- AIFST Convention 2025
- Calendar of events
International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium 2025
The 2025 International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium brought together growers, researchers, retailers, regulators and food safety experts from across Australia, New Zealand and beyond for two dynamic days in Sydney. The energy was high, the conversations meaningful and the shared goal was clear: elevate fresh produce food safety across the entire value chain.
This year we introduced the inaugural Farm to Lab Tour on Monday, 28 July. Delegates visited Barden Farms before heading to the NSW DPIRD’s Central Coast Primary Industries Centre in Ourimbah. The tour offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at how innovation in growing practices, surveillance and monitoring helps secure a safer supply chain, from field to research facility. Participants widely praised the experience as a fresh, immersive way to connect production and science in a real-world context.
The keynote presentation by Professor Jim Monaghan (Director of the Centre for Crop and Environmental Science at Harper Adams University, UK) was a major highlight. With decades of research experience, from working with major retailers to pioneering approaches in microbial risk management, he delivered a data-driven, forward-looking vision for managing food safety amidst climate uncertainty and rising consumer expectation. ‘Keep it Clean’ was Jim’s simple yet highly effective message for growers, given how difficult it is to decontaminate fresh produce. He emphasised the importance of agreeing on industry best practice, taking a commonsense approach, and delivering training to bridge the gap between science and implementation.
The broader programme delivered depth and relevance; covering traceability, assurance frameworks, technology, water, soil health and lessons from recent extreme weather events. Whether through technical sessions or interactive panels, delegates walked away with valuable insights and practical strategies to drive change in their own operations.
Delegates also valued the chance to connect and collaborate. Networking sessions, informal meetups and shared breaks offered space to exchange ideas, build relationships and foster real-world collaboration across sectors.
Attendees of IFPSS25 can access selected session recordings on our YouTube channel. Please contact Jody Sharpe for your unique delegate access code.
Watch the wrap up videos via the links below.
This event simply wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors and exhibitors. Thank you for helping make the Symposium a vibrant, forward-thinking space where the fresh produce safety community can come together to learn, share, connect and elevate our collective impact.
IFPSS26 – Save The Date
Mark it in your diary, the International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium will return to Sydney Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 July 2026 at a new venue – the Novotel Sydney International Airport. More details will be announced soon. Sponsorship and exhibition packages are available now, contact Jody at events@fpsc-anz.com for a prospectus.
2025 Review of Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety
Under the leadership of Dr Sharon Horton together with a technical review team across Australia and New Zealand, the Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety is going through its final stages of review with numerous exciting changes and new content.
These changes and new content include:
- Expanded hazard analysis, including increased focus on allergens
- New Chapters on Critical Incident Management and Food Safety Culture
- New Appendices on Food Safety Regulation and Indicator Organisms
- A fresh format with updated photographs showing good and unacceptable practices
We’re close to the finish line, so watch this space for the official launch of the 2025 Guidelines in the coming weeks!
Collaborating to strengthen fresh produce food safety in New Zealand
Damien presented at the NZ Horticulture Conference on ‘A Unified Approach for Safer Produce’ and the role FPSC can play to facilitate increased collaboration on food safety in New Zealand horticulture.
The panel of growers and experts discussed lessons learned from Cyclone Gabrielle which caused devastation for many growers in February 2023 and posed a major food safety risk due to flooding. Growers were thankful of the FPSC guidelines and other resources that supported them to manage the food safety risks associated with floods and sediment, however, they also recognised that as a sector we can do a better job managing these incidents in future.
A collaborative framework was proposed jointly by HortNZ, NZGAP and United Fresh and it has been endorsed by New Zealand Food Safety. The sector wants improved collaboration and coordination of food safety activities across the fresh produce supply chain, including being better prepared for incidents going forward. There is strong support for FPSC facilitating next steps on this collaborative journey. Growers are also excited to hear that there will be a new chapter on Managing Critical Incidents in the next version of the FPSC Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety which will be launched in the coming weeks.
Growing Connections, Supporting Industry and building knowledge on Food Safety
The Horticulture Food Safety Initiative (HFSI) continues to build momentum, with our Fresh Produce Community of Practice (CoP) now surpassing 90 members across Australia and New Zealand. We’re aiming to reach 100 members before the end of the year, so if you’re not yet part of the network, we’d love to hear from you!
In July, we held our very first sub-COP meetings, which generated excellent discussion and identified clear priorities and opportunities for each focus area. These smaller, targeted groups are already proving to be a valuable platform for collaboration, peer learning and shared solutions.
The current fresh produce safety topics for sub-COPs include:
- Pre- and post-harvest food safety and quality
- Food safety regulation and compliance
- Technology and innovation in food safety
- Incident management
Together, these groups are helping to strengthen capability across all parts of the supply chain.
FREE Food Safety Help Desk
The Fresh Produce Food Safety Help Desk was launched in 2024 as an accessible resource to address food safety inquiries from growers, particularly small to medium, and those producers who are non-certified or have English as a second language. The help desk includes an online chat, email support, and a mobile line, with a set of FAQs covering frequently raised food safety topics. Our help desk has been receiving enquiries, but we want to remind industry members that this resource is here for you, it’s confidential and it’s FREE! Whether you have a question about food safety standards, need compliance advice, or require guidance on where to find the right support or information, our help desk is designed to assist you with all your needs.
The Fresh and Safe Podcast:
Now streaming on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts
The Fresh and Safe Podcast?is designed for fresh produce stakeholders committed to food safety excellence. The podcast is a new way to dive deeper into the conversations that matter most to our industry. Whether you are an industry leader, regulator, service provider or grower, each episode will deliver actionable insights, inspiring stories and expert guidance to elevate food safety practices across the supply chain.
Episode 1 ‘How We Started, How We’re Going, Where We’re Headed’ traces the journey of the Fresh Produce Safety Centre with leaders Robyn McConchie, Andreas Klieber and Damien Farrelly. Launched on 1 July, the episode delves into FPSC’s origin, key milestones, the research and industry collaborations that have shaped Australia and New Zealand’s approach to fresh produce food safety and discusses the bold vision of where FPSC is headed next.
Episode 2 unpacks the Guidelines for Fresh Produce Safety with industry experts Dr. Sharon Horton, Richard Bennet and Elizabeth Frankish. Together with former FPSC CEO Farzana Adams and our Technical Officer Susannah Roelofsz, they discuss critical insights from the upcoming 2025 revisions. Perfect for growers, service providers and food safety stakeholders, this episode is a must-listen to ensure compliance, enhance consumer safety and implement best practices in your operations.
Episode 3 ‘Beyond the Audit’ sees Farzana Adams chat with Mathew Bannister from New Zealand. Mathew is a regenerative farming advocate who brings a provocative and practical lens to food safety. This episode dives deep into the evolving role of food safety in the context of climate change, regenerative agriculture, compliance culture, and the shifting expectations of both retailers and consumers.
Whether you’re in production, processing, retail, research or regulation, this podcast gives you practical knowledge and forward-looking perspectives to strengthen your food safety practices. It’s a chance to hear directly from experts and peers tackling the same challenges you face every day.
Listen in on Spotify or Apple Podcast and be part of the conversation driving safer fresh produce across our region. You can also watch on YouTube via the link below.
Congratulations to Phil Bremer
We extend our warm congratulations to Distinguished Professor Phil Bremer of the University of Otago and New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre (NZFFSRC) on receiving the ‘Significant contribution to food safety award’ at the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology’s Food Industry Awards in June. With more than 40 years of leadership and research shaping New Zealand’s food safety systems. We are privileged to work alongside Phil as a valued technical expert and member of the Horticulture Food Safety Initiative Project Reference Group, where his expertise continues to strengthen our shared efforts in fresh produce safety. Read more here
It’s also been a busy few months connecting with our fresh produce community, sharing FPSC resources and contributing to conversations on how we can continue to strengthen fresh produce safety across Australia and New Zealand. Highlighted below are some of our recent activities.
Hort Connections 2025 | Brisbane, June
Susannah and Jody had a fantastic time at Hort Connections 2025! It was wonderful to catch up with so many of our Community of Practice members, reconnect with industry colleagues and meet new contacts across the horticulture sector. The sessions, the energy and the trade floor ‘buzz’ were all standouts, well done to the organisers on another great event!
Food Industries Association of Queensland (FIAQ) Food Safety Conference | Brisbane, June
Susannah had the pleasure of presenting ‘Behind the Scenes – Supporting Fresh Produce Food Safety’. It was an engaging day filled with insights, innovation, and plenty of thought-provoking discussions with food safety professionals from across the sector. A big thank you to FIAQ and fellow presenters for a very valuable event.
VegNET NSW Asian Vegetable Field Day | NSW, June
Susannah joined growers, advisors and industry experts at the NSW DPI Demonstration Farm to explore herbicide trials, soil health, pest & disease management and food safety.
In her session, she shared insights into the Primary Production and Processing Standards (PPP) and highlighted the range of free FPSC resources available to support growers.
One of the highlights was a hands-on ‘Glitterbug demo’ showing just how quickly contamination can spread via foot traffic. The day also showcased translated resources developed for Asian vegetable growers. Thank you to Sylvia Jelinek, Local Land Services, VegNET, NSW DPIRD and the organising team for such a well-run and practical event.
AIFST Convention 2025 | Melbourne, August
Susannah recently attended AIFST25, enjoying two days filled with informative sessions, engaging panels and excellent networking opportunities. She particularly enjoyed connecting with colleagues across food science research, regulation, innovation and food safety.
Also, congratulations to Dr Sukhvinder Pal (SP) Singh of NSW DPIRD on receiving the The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) Food Safety Individual Award 2025 for ‘Significant Contribution to the Advancement of Food Safety in the Horticulture Sector.
Susannah recently attended AIFST25, enjoying two days filled with informative sessions, engaging panels and excellent networking opportunities. She particularly enjoyed connecting with colleagues across food science research, regulation, innovation and food safety.
Also, congratulations to Dr Sukhvinder Pal (SP) Singh of NSW DPIRD on receiving the The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) Food Safety Individual Award 2025 for ‘Significant Contribution to the Advancement of Food Safety in the Horticulture Sector.
New Zealand Horticulture Conference 2025 | New Zealand, August
Damien attended the NZ horticulture conference which was a fantastic opportunity to engage with stakeholders from across New Zealand and some special guests who travelled across from Australia. Collaboration was a key theme running through the conference, and Kate Scott put is best when she emphasised that “Collaboration is not optional, it is essential”. There is strong support for increasing collaboration on food safety and the role FPSC can play in facilitating connections, developing guidelines, assisting growers, training, preparedness, and response.
Congratulations to the dedicated growers, researchers and employers recognised in the 2025 Horticulture Industry Awards which were announced at the Industry Awards and Gala dinner. Top award of the Horticulture Bledisloe Cup, was presented to Andrew Fenton, current president and chair of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers Federation and chair of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust, which he has served on since 2003. The cup is awarded to a person who has made an outstanding and meritorious contribution to the New Zealand horticulture industry.
Expanding food safety outreach across the fresh produce sector
The Horticulture Food Safety Initiative initially focused on melons, berries and leafy vegetables, and is now broadening its outreach across additional fresh produce categories. If you are planning an upcoming food safety event, we’d love to support you, please reach out to our team to collaborate: technical@fpsc-anz.com
2025 Calendar of Events
SEPTEMBER
16 | IFPA Australian Sustainability Summit | Melbourne AUS MORE
OCTOBER
15 | Gatton AgTech Showcase 2025, Gatton AUS MORE
21 | AIFST & SQF Food Safety Forum, Sydney AUS MORE
22 | Western Australian Horticulture Update 2025, Caversham WA MORE
2026 Calendar of Events
MAY
12-13 | Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative Symposium, Victoria AUS (more info to come)
JUNE
1-4 | Hort Connections, Adelaide AUS MORE
16-17 | Center for Produce Safety Research Symposium, Tennessee USA MORE
22-23 | Annual Congress on Plant Science & Biosecurity, Barcelona Spain MORE
JULY
21-22 | International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium, Sydney AUS (more info to come)
26-29 | International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting, New Orleans USA MORE
26-29 | FoodPro / AIFST Convention, Melbourne AUS MORE