Gov. Mark Dayton announced last week Kevin Myers, director in research and development at Hormel Foods Corp., was appointed to the state’s Food Safety and Defense Task Force.

“It’s a position that Hormel Foods has had somebody on for the last eight years,” Myers said.

Sitting on the task force are food industry members, as well as representatives from the Minnesota Department of Health and from the United State Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration.

“The real goal is to work together to improve food safety in the state,” Myers said.

Part of that task involves making sure producers at small- and medium-sized plants, which have smaller staffs, hear about new rules and regulations.

“It should be a good experience,” he said.

Myers will serve as an at large member through June 30, 2016.