Connie Fisk, Produce Safety Program Manager
In partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the WSDA Produce Safety Program promotes understanding of and compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.
The inspection team plays a vital role in the program’s success by conducting inspections of farms and packing houses to verify compliance with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, and educating Washington producers to identify and mitigate produce safety risks.
The program has added several new inspection team members in 2022. Read on to learn about their professional experience and outside interests.
Jerrid Higgins has been with the program since May 2018 as a produce safety field inspector, but he stepped into the inspection supervisor role on March 1. In addition to inspecting covered farms, he serves as a conduit of information between the FDA and inspectors. And continues to develop and implement our compliance and enforcement program.
Jerrid has a background in horticulture, vineyard, and tree fruit work. He graduated from University of California-Davis in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and food systems. He earned a master’s degree in sociology from Washington State University (WSU), with emphasis on local food system development. He is a subject matter exert in biological soil amendments of animal origin.
Outside of work, Jerrid enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife, son and two dogs.
Leah began her career with the state in 2013 with the Washington State Patrol, where she enjoyed the opportunity to support troopers and build an awesome team of secretaries. Leah has a Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management that she hopes to apply to her work with WSDA.
Leah lives on acreage in Snohomish County, which she hopes to turn into a farm. She enjoys spending time with her three young children and husband.
Thane Tupper joined the program in April as a produce safety field inspector in Eastern Washington where the majority of the state’s tree fruit and onion farms, and packing houses are located.
Thane’s previous position with WSDA was as an agricultural commodity inspector in Grant and Adams counties. Before joining WSDA, he gained in-depth knowledge and experience in large-scale production, packaging, and facility sanitation in the brewing industry. Thane previously owned and operated a company specializing in avian pest control for agricultural crops using falconry-based methods to mitigate crop loss and damage. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in environmental policy and management concentrated in natural resource management.
In his personal time, Thane is an avid outdoorsman, spending is time hunting, fishing, practicing falconry, and exploring the shrub steppe of Central Washington.
Travis's professional background includes a postdoctoral fellowship in horticulture at WSU and five years of teaching experience (food science, horticulture, and general biology) at several community colleges in the Pacific Northwest. He is a subject matter expert in biological soil amendments of animal origin and postharvest handling and sanitation.
Travis speaks English and Spanish, enjoys working with individuals of diverse backgrounds, and loves to write. His hobbies include garden railroading and baking.
In summary: The WSDA Produce Safety Program promotes understanding of and compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. The inspection team plays a vital role in the program’s success and several new team members have been added in 2022. Read this Insider blog post to learn about their professional experience and outside interests.
