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SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Ozarks Food Harvest was recently honored as only the sixth Feeding America food bank of more than 200 in the nation to achieve international food safety certification by the American Institute of Baking International (AIB).

“Ozarks Food Harvest chose to embark on a huge undertaking by participating in an AIB scored audit. The Superior rating achieved illustrates the food bank’s commitment not only to food safety but also its commitment to the greater community in which it serves,” said Mitzi Baum, Director of Food Safety – Field Operations at Feeding America. “The food bank values that everyone — regardless of the source — deserves to have safe, wholesome food.”

AIB honored Ozarks Food Harvest with the highest achievement marks, recognizing its quality in goods, outstanding food safety, sanitary working conditions and exemplary training for employees regarding proper handling of food products. Rigorous inspections and training are required of companies which receive the certification. Only 25 percent of food handling facilities in the country scored by AIB in 2011 achieved the Superior rating given to Ozarks Food Harvest.

“Our family is proud that the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief is a national leader in facility design and food safety,” said Charlie O’Reilly, who chaired the Compassion in Action capital to build The Food Bank’s state-of-the-art warehouse. “This recognition verifies that Ozarks Food Harvest is committed to its partner agencies, donors and families it serves.”

Founded in 1919 by the North American wholesale and retail baking industries, AIB International has been committed to promoting safety in the food-supply chain, delivering quality technical and educational programs, and offering rigorous independent inspections and superior audits. Headquartered in Kansas, AIB has more than 900 members globally, which range from companies that specialize in international food ingredients and food service to smaller single-unit artisan retail bakeries.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest—The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving more than 300 hunger relief organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank reaches approximately 80,000 individuals monthly and distributes 12 million pounds of food annually. OFH was named the 2011 Small Business of the Year by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Visit the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief at 2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave. in North Springfield. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org and at facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest.