I am a veterinarian, Diplomate of ECVPH and within Vion responsible for Food Safety, Animal Welfare and Product and Process Integrity for our sites in the Netherlands and Belgium. In my position I like to connect science and practice to continuously improve food safety and animal welfare. Translating innovative ideas in day to day improvements is what I think is an important part of being a VPH professional, either being in the industry, academia or at the governmental level.

Derk is one of the training school teachers delivering:

• Actual and future challenges and needs from the slaughterhouse level perspective

Veterinary Public Health is all about finding solutions to very relevant problems. However, just as important is to get these solutions to have meaningful effect in the human population. Implementation is often where we struggle. Connecting professionals together to overcome these problems is what makes our field most interesting. RIBMINS is a perfect place for that.