The Wireless Electronic Monitoring System for Securing Milk from the Farm to the Processor project highlighted at the IAFP Annual Meeting

Date:  August 6, 2010

Chris Thompson with the University of Kentucky and Holly Hurd with the National Institute for Hometown Security attended and exhibited at the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on August 1-3, 2010.

The International Association for Food Protection is committed to serving the unique life-long learning needs of our Members. Educational sessions are dedicated to timely coverage of key issues and cater to multiple experience levels.

The Annual Meeting has become the leading meeting concerned with the protection of the worldwide food supply. Each meeting is attended by over 1,800 of the top industry, academic and government food safety professionals. This broad mix of attendees includes professionals in quality control, processing operations, regulatory inspections, consulting groups, risk assessment, research and development, microbiological research, plant management, technical services and HACCP management.

The Wireless Electronic Monitoring System for Securing Milk from the Farm to Processor project was highlighted, which is a wireless system for enhancing the secure delivery of milk from the farm to processor.  This project focuses on the development of an economically viable system that both secures the milk during transport and automates the collection of milk data for the dairy industry. The system locks the milk transport tank for security, collects the milk data with a handheld computer; and wirelessly transmits the data to a server for storage. When fully developed, the milk transport security system will meet the automation needs of the dairy industry and add significantly to the United States’ security infrastructure for bulk food transport.

In the photo below, Chris Thompson, UK, discussing the Milk Truck project with a conference attendee 

In the above 2 photos, the Exhibit Hall at the IAFP Annual Meeting

In the photo below, Chris Thompson, UK, and Holly Hurd, NIHS, stand at the NIHS booth in the IAFP Exhibit Hall

NIHS News Image

The Challenge

The task of assuring the security of our homeland involves protecting the citizens of the United States, the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets. This is necessary to sustain the nation's vitality against terrorism and other threats. This protection must originate at the community level. It requires discovering, developing and deploying new technology that will support first responders and key decision makers in local communities.

The Mission

NIHS' mission is to discover, develop and deploy solutions that protect and preserve the critical infrastructure of the nation's communities.

The Institute

NIHS aligns projects and research objectives with the needs and requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The strategy is to manage a distributed research enterprise that effectively transitions research and development into solutions. NIHS works with DHS to determine technology needs at the community level. Then, teams are quickly assembled from multiple universities to develop solutions to the needs.

The Strategy

Through management of the Kentucky Critical Infrastructure Protections Program (KCI), the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) provides an ongoing, integrated program dedicated to developing new technologies and devices. NIHS works through qualified academic institutions to accomplish the technological objectives.