RALEIGH - Michael Stafford of Rocky Mount was named the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Employee of the Month this week by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

Stafford is a technical trainer for the Food and Drug Protection Division with more than 22 years of state service. He was nominated for developing training tools and modules that meshed new federal Food and Drug Administration food safety training with North Carolina laws and regulations. With Stafford's leadership, North Carolina was the first state to complete the self-taught training and this led to the FDA recently recognizing North Carolina as a leader in standardization and competency training of its field staff.

"I am proud of the work that Mike has done to get our food and drug inspectors trained with the new regulations," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "It is people like Mike who make the food inspection service operate so efficiently and effectively to keep North Carolina's food supply safe."

Stafford graduated from N.C. State University with a degree in food science. He and his wife, Gail, have a son, Jonathan, who lives in England. He is a master woodworker who makes bowls and boxes from exotic woods, and has taught at a number of woodworking schools across the country. His artwork has been displayed in local museums.

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