Markon Cooperative, Salinas, Calif., has hired Kate Burr as food safety director.
Burr has been at Church Brothers Farms, Salinas, for six years, first as a food safety coordinator and then as sustainability and customer response program manager starting in Aug. 2016.
Burr’s background includes field and processing practices, product recall expertise and sustainability knowledge, according to a news release. She will be responsible for Markon’s 5-Star Food Safety Program standards in the company’s supply chain. She will ensure Markon’s First Crop, Ready-Set-Serve and Markon Essentials products and programs meet or exceed food safety standards, according to the release.
Burr will be the voice of Markon on all food safety-related matters.
“She will also deliver relevant industry information to members, alert customers about food safety concerns, and conduct ongoing research in the field,” according to the release.
“Food safety is of the utmost concern for Markon, our members, and foodservice operators alike,” Andy Hamilton, Markon’s president, said in the release. “From day one, we’ve focused on ensuring the safety of the products we provide.”
Markon’s 5-Star Food Safety Program is based on specifications, inspections, information and third-party audits at fields, facilities, transportation, distributor warehouses and operators’ kitchens.
Burr was responsible for developing Church Brothers’ comprehensive customer assurance tracking program and implementing a detailed food safety recall plan. She also created a sustainability report focused on the company’s internal farming operations while serving on the Produce Marketing Association’s Sustainability Committee.
