Technology & Innovation

NWFPA is dedicated to enhancing members' competitive capabilities by providing a knowledge portal for technology and innovation in the food manufacturing industry. 

Glossary of Manufacturing Technology Terms

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

• The ABCs of ERP by Christopher Koch
• Selecting an ERP System:  Build or Buy? by Donald Burleson
• Four Factors That Shape the Cost of ERP by Donald Burleson
• An Insider's View of Selecting an ERP Vendor by Donald Burleson

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

• RFID for Food Processors by Fred Radcliffe, Radcliffe Inc. (Abbreviated version appears in the June 2005 issue of NW Reports.)
• EPC Global UHF Generation 2 Standard Fact Sheet
• Tag, You're Late: Why Walmart Supplier Won't Make the Deadline by Thomas Wailgum

Cyber Security

• Does Your Plant's Control System Need Protection from Intruders?

Bioterrorism Act of 2002

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the Bioterrorism Act or the Act) directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue final regulations that establish requirements regarding the establishment and maintenance of records by persons who manufacture, process, pack, transport, distribute, receive, hold, or import food. The records that must be kept by these regulations are those that are needed by the Secretary for inspection to allow the Secretary to identify the immediate previous sources and immediate subsequent recipients of food, including its packaging, in order to address credible threats of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals. This regulation implements the recordkeeping authority in the Bioterrorism Act.

• FDA Fact Sheet
• Full Text of Bioterrorism Act of 2002 Section 306 is most applicable to IT personnel.
• List of solution providers for requirements of Bioterrorism Act from FDA website (Word document)

Pacific Northwest Alliance for Process Technology (PNAPT)  NWFPA is helping shape this emerging three-state, not-for-profit organization formed to enhance process technology skill training, curriculum, careers, and scholarships. The Alliance is based at Perry Technical Institute in Yakima, Washington.  Participants represent corporations and associations involved with process technology, educational institutions and private contractors, as well as government organizations.  Well-known companies involved include ConAgra Foods, Del Monte Foods, Intel, Precision Castparts, Wah Chang, and Weyerhaeuser.  The Alliances third meeting was on January 21, 2004 the 90^th Annual Northwest Food Manufacturing & Packaging Exposition.  Click on the following to see representatives of the Alliance with Washington State Governor Gary Locke or with Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski.

Additional Resources

Food CIO Forum Our mission is to assist food industry information technology executives gain increased business value through the successful application of information technology.