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CORVALLIS - Kenneth Hilderbrand, an Oregon State University Extension seafood specialist, has been honored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Hilderbrand, who works with OSU-based Oregon Sea Grant, was cited for his national leadership in educating and training seafood processors about new consumer safety rules.

Working out of OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Hilderbrand was instrumental in forming the nationwide Seafood HACCP Alliance for Education and Training. The coalition of scientists, industry leaders and agency staff has been working to help processors implement the recently adopted federal Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, which provides for a series of boat-to-market check points for product safety.

The USDA praised Hilderbrand "for outstanding contributions and national leadership" in the alliance's work to help processors "provide safe, wholesome aquatic food products to consumers worldwide."

While working with the alliance, Hilderbrand has helped design a manual and is planning workshops to teach seafood processors more about HACCP and other food-safety and quality assurance methods.