We are pleased to share the following trainings being offered in conjunction with the MWFPA Convention. Registration and see more about each session can be seen at this link. I wanted to share this with you as I suspect you’ll have contacts who are interested in several of the training sessions:
Listeria Seminar – The December 3rd Listeria training will focus on understanding the significance and strategies for control of listeria in food production facilities.
Industrial Wastewater Training – ISG is presenting a December 3rd training for industrial wastewater operators which is eligible for continuing education certification in IA, SD, and WI.
Introduction to Ammonia Refrigeration Systems – This December 3rd training is presented by Cold Core/Summit Refrigeration and counts as a RETA professional development hour.
OSHA 10-Hour – We are again providing an OSHA 10-Hour class on December 2nd & 3rd with “Safety Dave” Schwoerer of Endpoint Solutions presenting.
Convention
To register to attend Convention, please go to this link. For more on the Convention lineup, exhibitors, sponsors and more, please click here. The Expo Hall is just about sold out!
Hotel Room Block
here is the MWFPA-Kalahari hotel room block link.
Basic HACCP for Meat & Poultry
October 23 – 24, 2024
The Basic HACCP Short Course will discuss the principles of HACCP, development of HACCP plans and programs, and implementation including new USDA, FSIS regulations for meat and poultry establishments. This program is consistent with the intent and scope of the USDA, FSIS regulation.
Audience
Individuals that complete the course will receive a certificate indicating they are a HACCP trained individual and their name will be added to a registry of HACCP trained individuals that is maintained by the International Meat & Poultry HACCP Alliance. This course is designed for individuals with little or no knowledge of HACCP and those who would like a refresher on HACCP to learn about recent regulatory changes and developments. This course will include topic presentations and working groups for a hands-on opportunity to develop HACCP program components. This course satisfies the training requirement specified in the 1996 Pathogen Reduction/ HACCP regulation.
Topics Covered
• HACCP Overview
• FSIS Regulations on HACCP Implementation
• Pre-requisite Programs
• Biological Hazards
• Chemical Hazards
• Physical Hazards
• Developing Product Description & Ingredients, and Process Flow Diagram
• Conducting Hazard Analysis and Identifying CCPS
• Critical Limits, Monitoring & Corrective Action
• Validation, Verification, and Supporting Documents
• Record Keeping and Verification
• Review of a Complete Example HACCP Plan
• HACCP Plan Reassessment
• Planning for a Recall / Crisis Management
• Product Specific Pathogens of Concern and How they are Controlled
• Establishing an Effective Allergen Control Program
• Microbial Sampling
Programs
The registration fee for Basic HACCP Short Course is $550.00 per person until October 5th, 2024. Beginning October 6th, 2024, the fee will be $600.00. Registration will close on October 14th, 2024. The fee includes course materials & handouts, break items, lunches, and refreshments. Note: Lodging, parking, and other meals are not included. Enrollment is limited to 60 registrants to maximize learning opportunities and personal interactions with speakers. Registration for this course closes October 14, 2024.
Register today at: https://charge.wisc.edu/animalscience/workshops.aspx
Click this link for more information. Basic HACCP Website Listing_8.15.2024
DATCP Accepting Applications for Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grants Through September 9, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 29, 2024
Contact: Kelly Mella, Public Information Officer, (608) 440-0294, kelly.mella@
MADISON, Wis. – The 2024 Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin (BLBW) grants are open to applicants until 11:59 p.m. on September 9, 2024. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will award a total of up to $200,000 in BLBW grant funding in 2024.
BLBW is a competitive grant program designed to strengthen Wisconsin’s agriculture and food industries by helping farms and businesses more efficiently process, market, and distribute locally grown food products. BLBW grants provide consumers with access to more Wisconsin-grown food products, including organic vegetables, hops varieties, hazelnut products, locally grown grain, and other value-added products.
Qualified applicants include individuals, groups, or businesses involved in Wisconsin production agriculture, food processing, food distribution, food warehousing, retail food establishments, or agricultural tourism operations. Funded projects must report on increased local food sales, created and retained jobs, and new investments.
Projects can receive grant funds for up to three years. Grant requests must be between $5,000 and $50,000. Eligible project expenses include compensation for personnel, consultant services, materials, and supplies. Projects must show a one-to-one match of cash or in-kind support accounting for at least 50% of the total project budget.
DATCP will use a competitive review process to select the most qualified projects. Selected project contracts and work may begin in November 2024. Grant information and application materials are available at the DATCP website.
DATCP staff will hold an informational webinar via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, to discuss creating a successful proposal, with time allotted for questions. Participants can register to attend the webinar and to receive a link to the recording.
Since its inception in 2008, 584 applications have been submitted for BLBW grants, requesting a total of more than $20.3 million in funding. Of those applications, 117 projects have been funded, totaling more than $2.97 million. Previous grant recipients have generated more than $14.49 million in new local food sales, created and retained more than 500 jobs, and benefited more than 5,400 producers and 5,289 markets.
For more information, contact DATCP at [email protected].
The Wisconsin Lab Association (WLA) Fall Conference is an annual event that brings together industry leaders, technical & subject matter experts, and FSQA professionals to discuss the latest advancements and trends in laboratory practices, food safety and quality management systems. Current speakers as well as attendees range from food & beverage manufacturing facilities, academia, government & regulatory bodies, third party laboratories, and industry supporting suppliers. Topics range from problem solving, technical discussion, emerging technologies, sustainability, RCA/CAPA insights, recalls, etc.
Please check us out at: https://wisconsinlabassociation.org/
Conference Hotel and Registration Links:
Register at: https://wisconsinlabassociation.org/2024-fall-conference/
Hotel Information: Wisconsin Lab Association Fall Conference Block
Call the Radisson Hotel directly at 608-784-6680 and ask for the group block referenced above OR
Click Here to Book at the Radisson Hotel La Crosse!
Reservations must be made by Saturday, September 28th, 2024
Agenda
Radisson hotel La Crosse, WI
October 29, 2024
8:00-9:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast Buffet
9:00 – 9:10 AM Welcome: Tami Collien, 2024 WLA 1st Vice President-Conference Chair
9:10 – 9:40 AM ISO 17025 Accreditation: Jon Anderson-Ag Source
9:40 – 9:55 AM Product Spotlight
9:55 – 10:45 AM Supplier Networking – Break
10:45 – 11:20 AM ESG/Sustainability Food Safety: Mathew Bartkowiak-Nelson-Jameson
11:20 – 11:50 AM WLA Business Meeting/Board Introductions/Open Board Positions Nominations
11:50 – 12:30 PM RCA/CAPA: Gale Beard- Grande Cheese Co.
12:30 – 1:30PM Lunch & Supplier Networking
1:30 –1:45 PM Product Spotlight
1:45 – 2:30PM Disability Accommodations/Inclusivity in the Lab: Andrew Ives, ACCESS Center UW-La Crosse
2:30 –3:00PM Supplier Networking – Break Snack Bar Available
3:00 – 3:40 PM Laboratory GLP’s: Kyle Schweisthal -Hormel
3:40-4:00 PM Product Spotlight
4:00pm Adjourned – Prepare for Evening Activities
5:00 – 6:00 PM – Dinner
7:00 -10:00PM – La Crosse Distillery- Evening Event
October 30, 2024
8:00 – 9:00 AM Registration & Plated Breakfast
9:00 – 9:45 AM Meat Food Safety and Organisms of Concern: Ashley Lembke, Ph.D-American Foods Group
9:45 – 10:45AM NCIMS Update: Laura Traas-DATCP
10:45– 11:00 AM Break
11:00 –12:00 PM Servant Leadership – Continued Thomas Thibodeau- Viterbo University
12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch- Voting results
1:00 – 2:00 PM Topic TBD: Dr. Jay Ellison-Kwik Trip
2:00 – 2:15 PM Break
2:15 – 3:00 PM Retaining Quality People in the Workforce: Jeff Meiners- Crest Foods Co.
3:00 – 3:30 PM Regulatory Sanitation-Meat & Dairy: TBD
3:30 PM Closing Remarks & Dismissal: Janine Mercer, WLA 2nd Vice President- 2025 Conference Chair
Thermal Processing Workshop
November 5 – 7, 2024
A first of its kind program, The Thermal Processing Workshop takes an in-depth, comprehensive, and interactive approach to understanding all aspects of thermal processing for meat and poultry products. Participants will learn from national and internationally recognized speakers with engineering, food safety, and meat processing backgrounds allowing a full spectrum understanding about the science and art of thermal processing.
Audience
People involved in the meat industry with an array of roles (e.g., quality, safety, supervisory, etc.) from all backgrounds (e.g., processer, supplier, regulator, etc.) and levels of thermal processing experience levels of can benefit from this program.
• How do ovens work?
• Smoking – Science and Practice
• How do processes work?
• Developing & Optimizing Thermal Processes
• Achieving Process Lethality
• Troubleshooting
• Appendix A & B
• In-Plant Demonstrations
• Group Activities to develop and optimize
cooking processes
• And so much more!
Registration
The registration fee is $1,400/person. The registration includes course materials & handouts, drinks and snacks provided throughout the program, lunch each day, an evening reception, and transportation between the DoubleTree Hilton Downtown Madison and MSABD Building.
Register today at: https://charge.wisc.edu/animalscience/workshops.aspx
Registration fees increase to $1450/person after October 1!
Click here from more information: Thermal Processing Workshop Flyer_8.13.2024 (1)
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery program is happy to announce our Wisconsin Meat Processing School
The Wisconsin Meat Processing School will be held September 17-19, 2024, and 50 registration spots are now available HERE
Click here to view a pdf file of the following information.
About the Wisconsin Meat Processing School:
This short course takes a comprehensive approach to understanding general meat processing. Participants will learn the practical science and art of sausage-making & meat curing from a team of university instructors, supplier specialists, and award-winning “wurstmachers”. To facilitate a stronger understanding of topics discussed, manufacturing demonstrations on fresh, cooked, emulsified, semi-dry sausages, ham and bacon products will occur in the state-of-the-art MSABD building to reinforce important concepts discussed in the classroom.
Topics Covered:
The registration fee is $750/person*. The registration includes course materials & handouts, drinks and snacks provided throughout the program, lunch each day, an evening reception, and transportation between the DoubleTree Hilton Downtown Madison and MSABD Building.
Register today at: https://charge.wisc.edu/
Enrollment is limited to 50 registrants to maximize learning opportunities
and personal interactions with speakers. Registration for this course closes
September 3, 2024
* Existing Wisconsin meat processors who successfully complete the Wisconsin Meat Processing School may seek reimbursement for their registration costs. Two people per establishment are eligible for a full refund of their registration fees. Registration must be paid by credit or debit card; after completion of the course, the reimbursement will be sent for processing and your card will be refunded the cost of registration.
For more information and questions regarding the Wisconsin Meat Processing School, please visit the event page or contract Colleen Crummy at 608-279-7669 or [email protected]
