Errin Nondorf is a Food Safety and Regulatory Manager
Please describe some highlights of your role within Foremost Farms:
My role within Foremost Farms is very diverse! I work between our different plants and various departments at headquarters.
At the plant level, I oversee our food safety and regulatory quality procedures, which includes assisting with routine and regulatory third-party audits. Additionally, I support our kosher and halal programs.
At headquarters, I work alongside our Purchasing department to review all product labels and printed packaging within the cooperative to ensure regulatory compliance and brand standards.
I also explore the feasibility of new business opportunities for the cooperative, including export possibilities and the development of new products or processes. All these areas help support the cooperative in reaching our goals.
What is your favorite thing about working at Foremost Farms?
No two days are ever the same!
For my job, I interact with many departments within the cooperative and allows me to collaborate with my peers, learn from industry experts and gain a better understanding of how each role within the cooperative ties together.
I am continuously learning new things, not only within the food safety and regulatory realm but also within the cooperative and dairy industry.
What would surprise everyone about the scope of a quality job at Foremost Farms that you wish everyone knew?
Implementing a seemingly small change involves a surprising amount of cross-functional discussion and consideration behind the scenes. For instance, switching to a different quality ingredient for cost savings can alter the nutrition facts on the technical data sheet of a finished product, affecting our customers’ labels downstream. Similarly, accommodating a label change for one customer can change the receiving process for another. Therefore, it’s crucial to account for all these details to ensure the satisfaction of all our customers.
September is National Food Safety Education Month – Why is this a good time to remind consumers about proper food handling and safety?
Any month is a good time to remind consumers about proper food handling and safety!
Staying up to date with the latest information is easy! Visit FoodSafety.gov or sign up to receive email notifications from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
How does Foremost Farms prioritize food safety to ensure safety from the farm to the final product?
Our cooperative has developed numerous partnerships and systems to monitor both safety and quality from the farm to the final product. By building and managing robust oversight programs including training throughout, we can all work together to keep our consumers safe.
With the holidays approaching, we’ll likely be cooking and hosting more often. Do you have any good reminders for preventing food poisoning?
Just a quick understanding of the risks associated with the foods you are cooking and handling goes a long way. Remember to wash your hands, produce and working surfaces thoroughly. Separate raw meats from other foods to avoid contamination and remember to cook and store your foods at appropriate temperatures to avoid food-borne illness.
Food Facts From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (fda.gov)