Manpreet Singh Assumes Presidency of the International Association for Food Protection

Sep 04, 2025

Dr. Singh is the Associate Dean in the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs and Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgia on the Athens campus. His research over the years has focused on persistence, prevalence, and transmission of foodborne pathogens in food processing environments and processed foods; development and validation of intervention strategies to improve microbial safety of foods; and antimicrobial resistance of foodborne pathogens associated with food animals, specifically poultry. His Extension Program includes teaching processing programs related to FSMA, HACCP, seafood, and validation and verification programs.

An active member of IAFP since 2001, Dr. Singh’s service to the Association includes serving on the Food Protection Trends Management Committee; the Journal of Food Protection Editorial Board; and the IAFP Program Committee, serving as its Chair in 2020 for the virtual Annual Meeting. He has also served on the Developing Scientists Award Committee and as Chair on the IAFP Webinar Committee. His commitment to IAFP also includes organizing, presenting, and convening numerous technical symposia and poster presentations. In addition, he has consistently supported international activities of IAFP. He was a co-founding member of the Indian Association for Food Protection in North America, an IAFP Affiliate, and served as its treasurer for two years.

Dr. Singh holds a bachelor’s in Agricultural Science with a specialization in Food Technology from Punjab Agricultural University in India. He earned his master’s in Food Science and Technology from Kansas State University and his Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from Iowa State University.

In addition to Dr. Singh, other members of the Executive Board include:

President-Elect, Manan Sharma, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland
Vice President, Pam Wilger, Post Consumer Brands, Shakopee, MinnesotaSecretary, Wendy White, Georgia Institute of Technology, Greensboro, GeorgiaPast President, Mark Carter, MC Squared Enterprises, Inc., Chattanooga, Tennessee Affiliate Council Chair, Helen Taylor, Ph.D., Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, Wales

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.