Ep. 198. Dr. Jim Fredericks: Controlling Rodent Risks in Food Facilities

Jim Fredericks, Ph.D. is a Board Certified Entomologist and Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). He received his B.S. degree in Biology Education from Millersville University of Pennsylvania and his M.S. degree in Entomology from The University of Delaware. In 2012, Dr. Fredericks received his Ph.D. in Entomology and Wildlife Ecology from the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. Prior to his role with the NPMA, Jim spent more than 11 years working for a commercial pest control company as a Technical Director, where he was responsible product selection, treatment protocol development, service quality assurance, and technical training.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Fredericks [17:48] about:

• The fundamentals of rodent-proofing a facility—the “gold standard” in rodent control
• Important factors to consider when rodent-proofing a facility, such as behavioral differences between species
• Why rodent identification, including species and sex, is critical for pest control
• Benefits of establishing and maintaining a collaborative relationship between a pest management provider and a food facility
• Best practices for rodent control device placement in a food facility, based in “common sense driven by knowledge of pest biology and behavior”
• Challenges that may arise when addressing different kinds of pests in the same facility, as well as possible overlap in pest control approaches
• Real-time data collected by pest control tools and technologies, and how this data is used
• Ways in which food facilities can lean on their pest control providers—beyond the task of checking pest traps.

News and Resources

News

Judge Stephen Vaden Sworn in as USDA Deputy Secretary [2:22]

USDA-FSIS Announces Dr. Justin Ransom as New Administrator [2:57]

EFSA Board Nominates Dr. Nikolaus Kriz as Executive Director [3:29]

Conagra Brands to Remove FD&C Colors from U.S. Frozen Product Portfolio by End-2025 [4:18]

FDA Plans to Issue Guidance on Natural Food Colorants, Other Priority Topics in 2025 [6:38]

Secretary Rollins Unveils New USDA Food Safety Policy Plan at FSIS Midwestern Lab Grand Opening [8:57]

FDA Issues Final Guidance for Industry on its Use of Remote Regulatory Assessments [14:19]

Resources

National Pest Management Association

Upcoming Webinar: Strategies for Rodent Control in Distribution Facilities

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