Wendy Johnecheck has an appointment as a State Specialist/Extension Professor in the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, & Food Systems. With over a decade of evaluating food safety risks of food producers and growers around the US, Johnecheck works with producers and food businesses to integrate food safety risk mitigation strategies into their production practices and business decisions. Through workshops and on-line tools, she identifies and communicates solutions that reflect the current state of food safety science, meet regulatory requirements, and are appropriate for the scale and nature of farms and food processing in New England. Through one-on-one assistance, she works directly with agricultural producers and value-added food processors to identify best practices for their individual operations.
As an inter-disciplinary scholar, both in training and practice, Johnecheck leverages her understanding of the food supply chain and production practices to teach students about the policies and structures governing the US food system. Her expertise in food safety regulatory implementation, provides for engaging and relevant classroom case studies, and allows students to explore the inter-play between food safety science and policy implementation. She is committed to equipping students with an understanding of the complex agri-food regulatory structure in the US, positioning them to be an informed participant in the food system regardless of their role.