Contact: Peggy Armstrong
parmstrong@idfa.org
(202) 220-3508
(Washington, D.C. – September 25, 2013) The International Dairy Foods Association has tapped John T. Allan III to fill the position of vice president of regulatory affairs and international standards. In this role, Allan will direct all aspects of IDFA's food safety training programs and he will lead efforts related to product safety and quality control issues. He also will engage on behalf of IDFA members with the International Dairy Federation, 3-A Sanitary Standards and the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS). Allan will have additional responsibilities in federal and state regulatory affairs.
"We’re excited that John has joined our team at this critical time. His expertise in microbiology and food safety, in-depth knowledge of regulations impacting the dairy industry and first-hand experience working on international standards and supporting trade issues will be a great addition within IDFA and to our member companies," said Clay Hough, IDFA senior group vice president.
Before joining IDFA, Allan was the director of regulatory and international affairs for the National Yogurt Association, the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and AFFI’s affiliated associations: the National Frozen Pizza Institute, Frozen Potato Products Institute and the Frozen Food Foundation. He served as a regulatory and scientific expert, providing issues analysis and strategic advice to support the associations’ objectives.
Allan also advocated on behalf of the yogurt and frozen food industries before federal regulatory agencies and led numerous initiatives to further food safety. He promoted the members’ international trade interests through a seat on the U.S. Department of Agriculture/U.S. Trade Representative Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade of Processed Foods and through his engagement with the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Prior to AFFI, Allan worked for ASI Food Safety Consultants, performing food safety and defense audits, and the International Formula Council as the manager of regulatory and technical affairs. Before that, he served two years as an associate food standards officer for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Codex Alimentarius Commission Secretariat in Rome. He also has worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) involved with foodborne disease outbreak detection and surveillance.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Allan earned a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a master’s degree in food science and technology. He also obtained a degree in clinical laboratory science from Georgia State University and has completed coursework through Michigan State University’s Food Law Certificate Program.
Allan and his wife, Luz, live in Alexandria, Va.
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The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 550 companies representing a $125 billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 220 dairy processing members run more than 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States.