Dr. Rick Holley – University of Manitoba
A newly designated distinguished professor with the University of Manitoba says only time will tell if the political will exists to make the changes necessary to improve Canada’s food safety system.
Last month the title “Distinguished Professor” was conferred by the University of Manitoba on food safety and food microbiology professor Dr. Rick Holley.
A member of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences for the past 16 years, his research and teaching has focused on food safety issues.
Dr. Holley believes his recent involvement in the publication of summaries in reviewed journals, newspaper and magazine articles and various interviews have brought issues that are important in the arena of food safety to public attention.
Dr. Rick Holley-University of Manitoba:
I’ve had significant involvement with news media of a variety of sorts.
These types of interviews have I think served as a vehicle to get the message out that while it’s generally believed that the level of safety in the operation of the food safety system in Canada is probably as good as it is in most other developed countries of the world we should not be complacent.
There are things that are outstanding that need attention and government can not stand idly by and let things continue the way they are because the barn door is open in a number of areas.
I think that I have been listened to to some extent by folks who have the ability to make change in the system and only time will tell whether or not those actions are going to be possible to achieve within a reasonable time frame and whether there’s political will to achieve some of the things that need to be done.
Those are questions that for the moment are not fully answered.
Dr. Holley trusts, through this title, his work will continue to help further efforts related to food and feed safety at the University of Manitoba.
For UniversityNews.Org, I’m Bruce Cochrane.
*This post first appeared in the November 1, 2010 edition of University News, a presentation of the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Agricultural & Food Sciences, to learn more click here.
