By: Imogen Angel, Assistant, FMI Foundation, Food & Product Safety/Health & Well-being, FMI
The FMI Foundation recently had the privilege of hosting 13 of the food industry’s best and brightest scholars at SQF Unites. The 2025-2026 Food Safety Auditing Scholarship recipients joined the global SQF community in St. Louis for a week of food safety education, collaboration, and professional growth.
In partnership with the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), The FMI Foundation annually sponsors students in food and agricultural science programs who have demonstrated interest in a food auditing career. The Food Safety Auditing Scholarship program, first established in 2013, aims to bolster burgeoning food safety professionals and strengthen pathways into food auditing careers. Over the years, the program has grown from 3 recipients in 2013 to 19 recipients across two tiers of awards in 2026, 13 of which were able to take advantage of the opportunity to attend SQF Unites. SQF Unites is an annual conference that offers scholarship winners the opportunity to connect face-to face with businesses, certification bodies and industry leaders supporting and advancing food safety worldwide.
For these students, this scholarship provides an incredibly lucrative opportunity to move beyond the classroom and be immersed in the industry. Our scholarship recipients spent their time at SQF Unites taking advantage of learning from subject matter experts, networking with industry professionals and expanding their academic support system with each other. This scholarship not only provides these scholars with unique educational and professional opportunities as they prepare to begin their careers; but it also allows the industry to connect with the next generation of the food safety workforce. Our 2025-2026 scholars demonstrated themselves to be passionate, curious and professional students of food safety who will soon be assets to the industry.
These scholars are already food safety leaders in their universities and represent the next generation of excellence in the industry. It is essential to support the students who will soon be entering the workforce to uphold our food systems. It is SQFI and the FMI Foundation’s honor to recognize their talents and uplift these scholars as they grow into responsible stewards of our food safety.
Do you know a future food safety professional? Be sure to share the Food Safety Auditing Scholarship with them! The 2026-2027 application cycle will open August 3, 2026.
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