Organic Cost Share Program

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has funds available for the 2015 National Organic Certification Cost Share Program through funds provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. The program will provide cost share assistance to organic producers and handlers receiving certification or continuation of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agency starting October 1, 2014, and ending September 30, 2015. Under the Act, cost-share assistance payments are limited to 75 percent of an individual producer's or handler's certification costs, with a maximum of $750 per certification or category of certification per year. The National Organic Program (NOP) currently recognizes four categories of certification: crops, wild crops, livestock and processing/handling. Operations may receive one reimbursement per certificate or category of certification per year. Each certificate may be reimbursed separately. Likewise, each category of certification may be reimbursed separately.

To be eligible for reimbursement in the current fiscal year, applicants must successfully receive their first organic certification or have incurred expenses related to the renewal of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agency between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015. The organic production or handling operation must be located within Missouri, comply with the USDA National Organic Program regulations for organic production or handling and have received certification or continuation of certification by a USDA-accredited certifying agency between the eligible dates.

One year of certification reimbursement is available from October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015.

Program Participants: Organic Operations

To receive cost share assistance from their respective state departments, eligible organic operations must apply to their participating state department to receive cost share payments. Eligible operations must apply to the participating state agency in which they are located to receive cost share reimbursements. Entities operating in more than on state should apply in the state where their federal taxes are filed. These entities may only apply for reimbursements once per certificate or certification category per year, as verified by certification documentation. The applicable National Organic Program (NOP) regulations are available on the NOP website at www.ams.usda.gov/nop. In order to be eligible for reimbursement in the current federal fiscal year, applicants must have received their certification or have incurred expenses related to the renewal of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agent between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015.

Allowable Costs

Payments are limited to 75 percent of an individual producer's or handler's certification costs up to a maximum of $750 per certification or category of certification per year. The NOP currently recognizes four categories of certification: crops, wild crops, livestock and processing/handling. Operations may receive one reimbursement per certificate or category of certification per year. Each certificate may be reimbursed separately. Likewise, each category of certification may be reimbursed separately. No other direct costs are permitted. For a sample list of allowable and unallowable expenses on reimbursement applications, see Chart of Allowable and Unallowable Costs.

For more information contact:

Missouri Department of Agriculture
Cindy Thompson
Organic Certification Cost-Share Program
PO Box 630 - Jefferson City, MO 65102-0630
573-751-7794

Mizzou Plant Diagnostic Clinic

The Mizzou Plant Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) is open all year to receive plant samples that are affected by a disease or disorder.  The PDC can also identify pesky weeds, plants of interest, mushrooms and insects or spiders.

Last year the Clinic processed 445 samples, over 50% of these consisted of ornamentals, turf, and fruit or vegetable producing plants. Diseases ranged the gamut from anthracnose to wilts, making it an interesting year in the Plant Clinic.  In 2014, most woody ornamentals were diagnosed with leaf spots and vascular wilt diseases.  Bacterial blights and root rots were most problematic in herbaceous ornamentals.  On zoysiagrass lawns, both chinch bugs and large patch were most often diagnosed. The food producing plants had a myriad of issues ranging from root rots to leaf spots.

The PDC is open all year.  It is encouraged that you get a diagnosis before applying pesticides or other controls, as this will allow for selection of a control measure that will most effectively deal with your precise pest problem.  The PDC is open for sample drop off, Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm.  Sample can also be mailed directly to the PDC or dropped off at your local extension office.  If possible, take a picture of the sick plant before digging it up; if several plants are affected a picture of the entire planting is also encouraged.  Pictures may be submitted in an email to plantclinic@missouri.edu, printed and submitted with the sample or supplied on a flash drive.  As always, please include a Submission Form, which has been filled out as completely as possible, with the sample.  Submission Forms and information on how to collect and ship samples can be found on the website or at your local Extension Office. 

MU Plant Diagnostic Clinic
28 Mumford Hall
Columbia, MO  65211
phone: (573) 882-3019
email: plantclinic@missouri.edu

Free NRCS Tool Helps Farmers Determine Economics of Using Cover Crops

By now most farmers have heard about cover crops and how incorporating them into rotations can increase yields and reduce input costs while providing other valuable benefits. But there still are many farmers who have not tried cover crops because they are unsure about the costs.

To help answer that question, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, has developed a simple digital tool. The Cover Crop Economic Decision Support Tool is a spreadsheet that helps farmers, landowners and others make informed decisions when considering whether to add cover crops to their systems. It was developed by two NRCS economists, Lauren Cartwright, of Missouri, and Bryon Kirwan, of Illinois.

Missouri State Conservationist J.R. Flores explained that the tool offers a partial budget analysis. It focuses only on operational changes that farmers make, things that affect the actual costs and benefits that farmers see when they add cover crops.

“The tool focuses on benefits and costs that can easily be expressed in dollars,” Flores said. “As a natural resources agency, we are excited about the resource benefits realized when farmers utilize cover crops and no-tillage. But we also understand that farmers need to be profitable. We hope that this tool will help farmers see that they don’t have to sacrifice one of those two things to realize the other.”

Cartwright said her inspiration for developing the tool came from attending some of the many soil health workshops throughout the state.

“I would hear the main speakers, farmers who have been using cover crops for many years, talk about how they have no runoff and they are producing corn for less than $2 per bushel. And I found myself thinking ‘That’s good. But how did you get to that point, and how much did it cost to get there?’” she said.

Cartwright said she teamed up with Kirwan to develop the tool because they each brought a different skillset to the process. Kirwan has a strong economic and agronomic background, and owns a farm. Cartwright has degrees in environmental science and economics and is strong in programming. She has used her skills to develop seven other economic tools for NRCS.

The spreadsheet tool that Kirwan and Cartwright developed is designed to measure:

• Direct nutrient credits
• Input reductions
• Yield increases and decreases
• Seed and establishment costs
• Erosion reductions
• Grazing opportunities
• Overall soil fertility levels
• Water storage and infiltration improvements

The tool’s analysis depends on data that farmers enter. They can run “what if” scenarios if they want to evaluate a range of values. The tool offers results in both dollars and graphs, showing short-term and long-term benefits.

Cartwright said for most scenarios, the tool shows a clear financial benefit for those who learn to manage cover crops and stick with them. There is a significant jump in benefits over time, primarily because of increased organic matter in the soil. The tool also indicates that short-term costs can be offset by farmers who incorporate grazing of cover crops.

According to NRCS and other research, long-term use of cover crops offers improved profitability because of higher yields and lower input costs. Healthier soil also improves water quality, infiltration, weed and pest control, wildlife habitat, and more.

“Some people view cover crops as a trend,” Flores said. “I think it is much more than that. Farming in ways that improve soil health is coming to the forefront now, but those ways will eventually become commonplace.”

Farmers can download the spreadsheet at: www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/mo/soils/health/

Grazing Schools across Missouri

Now's the time to start planning to attend the grazing school near you.

NORTHWEST REGION

TBA - June 9-10 contact Nathan Bilke at (660) 582-7125 Ext 117, Nathan.bilke@mo.usda.gov

NORTHWEST CENTRAL REGION

Sedalia (FCS Financial Building) - July 9-10 contact Zach Harding SWCD, 1-660-826-3390 x 115 or Brent Carpenter MU Extension, 1-660-827-0591

Warrensburg (Johnson County Grazing School) - September 15-16 contact James Watterson, (660) 747-8200 x 3, James.Watterson@mo.usda.gov

EAST CENTRAL REGION

Warrenton (Warren County Extension Center) - April 1-2    contact Polly Sachs (636) 456-3434 x 3

St. Martins (Knights of Columbus Hall.) - September 22-24 contact Ed Gillmore, (573) 893-5188 x 3

CENTRAL REGION

Rolla - April 13-14 contact Phelps Co. SWCD - Paula Wade, (573) 364-6202 x 3

Tri-County School Gasconade County - September 10-11 contact Gasconade Co. SWCD -

Diana Mayfield (573) 437-3478 x 3

Wurdack on September 24-25 contact Crawford Co. Extension, (573) 775-2135

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION

West Plains - April 15-17 contact Randy Wiedmeier, (417) 256-2391, wiedmeierR@missouri.edu

Hartville - May 4-6 contact Missy Wollard, (417) 741- 6195 x 3, missy.wollard@swcd.mo.gov or Ted Probert (417) 741-6134, ProbertT@missouri.edu

Houston - July 29-31 contact Sandy Wooten, (417) 967-2028 x 3, sandra.wooten@swcd.mo.gov or Sarah Kenyon (417) 967-4545, KenyonS@missouri.edu

Squires - June 8-10 contact Stacy Hambelton, (417) 679-3525, HambeltonS@missouri.edu

Willow Springs - September 2-4 contact Regan Hughston (417) 256-7117 x 3, Regan.hughston@swcd.mo.gov or Jamie Kurtz (417) 256-7117 x 3, jamie.kurtz@mo.usda.gov

Ellington - October 19-21 contact Vera Pyles, (573) 648-1035, pylesv@missouri.edu or Jeff Lawrence, (417) 778-7561 x 106, jeff.lawrence@mo.usda.gov

SOUTHEAST REGION

Park Hills (Mineral Area College) - May 6-7contact Selma Mascaro, (573) 224-3410 x 3, selma.mascaro@mo.usda.gov

TBA - September 17-18 contact Selma Mascaro, (573) 224-3410 x 3, selma.mascaro@mo.usda.gov

SOUTHWEST REGION

Halfway - April 21, 24, 28, May 1 (evenings), April 25 (Saturday - All Day) contact Dallas Co. SWCD (417) 345-2312 x 3

Mt. Vernon - April 28-30 (daytime) contact Lawrence County Extension, (417) 466-3102

Neosho - June 9-11 (daytime) contact Nathan Witt (417) 451-1007 x 3

Greenfield - September 15, 17, 22, 24 (daytime), September 19 (Saturday - All Day) contact Cedar County SWCD (417) 276-3388 x 3

Crane - September 16-18 (daytime) contact Stone Co. SWCD, (417) 723-8389

Marshfield - September 22-24 contact Webster Co SWCD, (417) 468-4176 x 3

Springfield - October 20-22 (daytime) contact Greene Co. SWCD, (417)831-5246 x 3

SOUTHWEST CENTRAL REGION

Camdenton (Laclede Electric Coop) - April 29-30 contact Dennis Bruns, dennis.bruns@swcd.mo.gov

Osceola (Osceola Baptist Church) - May 6-7 contact Margie Best, (417) 646-8108

Harrisonville (Cass Co. Extension Office) - May 14-15 contact Jamie Bokern, (816) 884-3391,

jamie.bokern@swcd.mo.gov or Katrina O’Farrell, (816) 884-3391, Katrina.ofarrell@mo.usda.gov

Lincoln - September 29-30 contact Tina Dulaban, (660) 547-2351 x 3

NORTHEAST REGION

Perry - May 29-30 contact Lucas Brass, (573) 985-8611 x 3 or Daniel Mallory, (573)985-3911

Lancaster - June 5-6 contact Darla Campbell, (660)457-3469

Kahoka - August 28-29 contact Debby Whiston, (660)727-3339 or Robert Conley, (660)727-2955 x 3

Madison - September 11-12 contact Darren Hoffman or Lena Sharp, (660)327-4117 x 3

Meat Goat Marketing Workshop

Post Harvest Handling

The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture is making a presentation available online on post-harvest handling for produce. The presentation covers harvest, cleaning and cooling, packing area infrastructure, sorting and grading, storage, transport, and more. Companion handouts are also available online.  These can be found online by clicking here. 

Topics covered include:
Respiration
Harvest
Cleaning & Cooling
Packing Area Infrastructure
Sorting & Grading
Storage
Packing & Packaging
Transport
Display & Point-of-sale

Missouri Pollinator Conservancy Program

The Missouri Pollinator Conservancy Program offers beekeepers new ways to protect hives from pesticide drift.

The group is working with the DriftWatch Specialty Crop Site Registry to help pesticide applicators locate nearby hives before spraying. It also offers real-time weather data to help them decide when to spray. Wind can make pesticides drift from their intended targets.

The program opens talks between farmers, consultants, applicators and beekeepers to protect the more than 400 species of bees in Missouri, says Moneen Jones, University of Missouri entomologist. She works for the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the Fisher Delta Center in Portageville.

She encourages beekeepers to register their hives at https://mo.driftwatch.org/. Participation is voluntary, and beekeepers can limit the information that is available for public viewing. Beehive locations are kept confidential, and Jones says beekeepers do not need to worry about their personal information being sold or distributed without consent.

Also, MU Extension offers large yellow "BeeCheck" flags and poles for sale at a discount. The flags alert others that beehives are close. The benefits of the program will outweigh any initial costs, Jones said.

Honeybee colonies in the United States decreased from 5 million in the 1940s to 2.5 million today, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Bee numbers began falling in the 1980s as new pathogens, parasites, pests and nutrition problems hit bees at the same time. USDA estimates that 33 percent of the country's hives were lost each winter from 2006 to 2011.

Honeybees are vital to agriculture. Besides making honey, bees pollinate crops, fruits, nuts and vegetables.

"We can cut economic losses for row-crop farmers and beekeepers by managing row-crop pests and reduce the effect of pesticide drift on beehives," Jones says.

Partners in the program are University of Missouri, Missouri Agricultural Aviation Association, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri State Beekeepers Association and the MU Fisher Delta Research Center. DriftWatch Specialty Crop Site Registry was created by Purdue University. The nonprofit FieldWatch Inc. operates the website.

For more information, contact Jones at 573-379-5431 or Anastasia Becker, Missouri Department of Agriculture at 573-526-0837.

Grants, Grants and More Grants

It’s Grant Season!  Read about these potential grants and see if you, your farm, or your farm group/association are eligible.

"Increasing market opportunities for local food producers is a sound investment in America's rural economies, while also increasing access to healthy food for our nation's families," Vilsack said. "Consumer demand for local, healthy food is skyrocketing in schools, hospitals and wholesalers. These grant opportunities allow farmers and ranchers to meet this demand, and feed our nation's kids."

The grant programs administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) include the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program which covers two types of grants: the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP). Also included in the announcement is the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Farm to School Grant Program, designed to bring local foods into the school cafeteria. USDA's Farm Service Agency implements the NAP program, which has been expanded to better protect specialty crop and other eligible producers from losses due to natural disasters.

"American farmers and ranchers feed the nation. These grant programs provide vital support to specialty crop producers, whose fruits and vegetables fill over half of the MyPlate recommendations," said Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator Anne Alonzo. "They also support local and regional food systems that are meeting consumer demand and creating economic opportunities in rural and urban communities around the country."

Over $63.2 million in SCBGP grants are allocated to U.S. States and territories based on a formula that considers both specialty crop acreage and production value. Interested applicants should apply directly through their State department of agriculture. A listing of state contacts and application due dates can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp.

The FSMIP provides $1 million in matching funds to State departments of agriculture, state colleges and universities, and other appropriate state agencies. Funds will support research projects that address challenges and opportunities in marketing, transporting, and distributing U.S. agricultural products domestically and internationally.

The Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program provides a combined total of $26.6 million divided equally between its two grant programs. The FMPP provides $13.3 million to support projects for direct farmer-to-consumer marketing projects such as farmers markets, community-supported agriculture programs, roadside stands, and agritourism. The LFPP offers $13.3 million in funds for projects that support intermediary supply chain activities for businesses that process, distribute, aggregate, and store locally- or regionally-produced food products.

Grant applications for FSMIP, FMPP and LFPP must be submitted electronically through www.Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 14, 2015. Applicants should start the Grants.gov registration process as soon as possible to ensure that they meet the deadline.

AMS will host a webinar on March 25, 2015, to introduce FMPP and LFPP to potential applicants and a teleconference about FSMIP on March 31, 2015. For more information about SCBGP, FSMIP, FMPP, and LFPP, including program background and webinar information, visit the AMS grants website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSgrants.

With $6 million in funding available, four different types of USDA Farm to School grants are available. Planning grants help schools get started, while implementation grants enable schools to expand existing programs. Support service grants allow community partners such as non-profit entities, Indian tribal nations, state and local agencies, and agriculture producers to provide broad reaching support to schools in their efforts to bring local products into the cafeteria. Training grants are used to disseminate best practices and spread strategies known to succeed. Proposals for planning, implementation, and support service grants are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, May 20, 2015. Letters of intent for training grants are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, April 30, 2015.

More information about the Farm to School grant program, upcoming webinars relevant to applicants, and sample grant applications can be found at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school-grant-program.

These programs are key elements of the USDA's Know Your Food, Know Your Farmer initiative which coordinates the Department's support for local and regional food systems. The Secretary has identified local and regional food systems as one of the four pillars of rural economic development.

• The 2012 Census of Agriculture indicates that more than 160,000 farmers and ranchers nationwide are tapping into growing consumer demand by selling their products locally. This segment of agriculture is a vibrant growth area that is drawing young people back to rural communities, generating jobs and improving quality of life in rural communities.
• In FY13-14, USDA made over 500 infrastructure investments that create new markets for local food- including food hubs, scale-appropriate processing, and distribution networks - that are connecting farmers and ranchers with new sources of revenue and creating jobs.
• Since the program began in 2012, USDA's Farm to School program has funded 221 projects in 49 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. According to the USDA's Farm to School Census, schools spent over $385 million on local food purchases during the 2011-2012 school year.

USDA has expanded access to healthy foods in underserved communities by making EBT available at farmers markets. Over 5,000 farmers markets now accept EBT, and SNAP redemption at farmers markets nationwide rose from $4 million in 2009 to over $18 million in 2014.

Small Improvements to Corrals and Chutes Can Improve Health and Profitability in Cattle Operations

Well-managed cattle herds are run through the corral and chutes several times a year for things like vaccinations, castration, artificial insemination and parasite treatments. Producers with good, workable chutes are more likely to complete the appropriate practices than an owner with sub-par facilities according to Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

"If you run beef cattle, whether it is a stocker or cow-calf program, you need some type of facility in which to treat those cattle," said Cole.

Since the profitability has returned to the cattle business, Cole says there seems to be more interest in updating marginal facilities. Cattle that get regular treatment will improve their health and profitability.

"One feature I've noticed in remodeled corrals is greater use of concrete. This is desirable, of course, from a human and cattle safety and sanitation standpoint. However, if the concrete is too smooth it results in slips and falling for both workers and the cattle," said Cole.

Most new concrete floors are grooved to aid in drainage and to prevent slips and falls. Some of this helps but a simple mat is also a great solution to slipping and sliding, especially as the cattle leave the head chute.

"Implement tire mats have been used around chutes for years especially in feedlots. They'll work in this area also. Observe your corral situation and look for areas to improve safety for cattle and those who handle them," said Cole.

(by David Burton, Greene County Extension Center)

Browse & Pasture Management for Small Ruminants Workshop

Crop Diversification…How many varieties should I grow?

Small farms, and new farms, tend to be extremely diverse in their enterprises, market outlets, and crop selections.  The number of different crops and the number of different varieties of each individual crop grown on any given farm can reach an impressive total.  And sure, crop diversity is necessary for ensuring that no matter what pressure is put on your plants by pests, diseases, and extreme weather events that you still have a harvest that season.  It may not be the exact crop mix, yield, or ready at the time that you had planned, but crop diversification helps ensure that farm income will be generated.

In these winter months, during time spent perusing the seed catalogs and talking about varieties with other farmers, it can be hard to exercise self-restraint when choosing your crops and varieties for the upcoming season.  Even if your seed order is already in, it may only take one discussion on a listserv to generate excitement about a new variety of pepper, fueling a desire to add more diversity to your crop mix.  Right now growing 40 varieties of heirloom tomatoes for display at the farmers' market may seem like a fantastic (and completely manageable) idea for drawing in customers; this same idea may lose its appeal when you are sorting and labeling your harvest in August.

Here are some key things to consider as you are finalizing your seed order and crop plan for the season:

·         Your Market: Do your customers, whether direct or wholesale, care about choosing between varieties or just about you growing the tastiest option? Do you have to grow every single crop you offer your CSA members or can you buy a few in?

·         Your Farm Systems: What inefficiencies will an increase in the number of crops or varieties you grow create in your system? Are the associated costs offset by the sales generated by your crop diversity?  What systems (i.e. record-keeping or employee management) can you put in place to minimize the impact of these inefficiencies?

·         Your Time: Is there an opportunity cost associated with growing a large number of different crops?  Is there an opportunity cost associated with NOT growing a large number of different crops on your farm?  How can you spend your time most productively (and profitably)?

·         Your Crop Mix: Are you satisfied with the crops and varieties you are currently growing?

·         Your Interest: To what extent does having a high crop diversity or trialing different crop varieties peak your interest and count as a value of your farm business?

If that last point rings true to you, check out this article by farmer Becky Maden to learn more about best practices for trialing new crop varieties on your farm!   Trial by Farmer

(by Jen Miller, RAFFL New Farmer Program Coordinator)

Acidified Foods Workshop 2015

The Acidified Foods Workshop will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 23-24, 2015 in Webb City, MO.

This workshop is a Better Process Control School (BPCS) event specifically for processors of acidified food products and meets the requirements of 21 CFR Part 114 for FDA regulated food manufacturers. Please contact Dr. Andrew Clarke at the University of Missouri Food Science Program (573-882-2610) or ClarkeA@missouri.edu) if you have any questions about the Acidified Food Workshop.

Processors of low acid canned foods should attend a BPCS event designed for thermal processing (retorting) of low acid products such as one offered at Oklahoma State University (http://fapc.biz/workshops/processcontrol.html) June 10-12, 2015 or at the University of Arkansas (http://www.uark.edu/depts/ifse/bpcs2.html) November 3-5, 2015.

Workshop Faculty

Andrew Clarke, Ph.D.

University of Missouri-Columbia

William McGlynn, Ph.D.
Oklahoma State University

Steve Seideman, Ph.D.
University of Arkansas

Registration

The registration fee is $425 for the first person from a company and $325 for each additional person from the same company or farm. There are a limited number of $200 scholarships available for specialty crop growers. All participants will be provided with workshop materials as well as lunch and refreshments during breaks.

Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.

Registration is limited to 50 participants. Registration deadline: March 9, 2015.

To register, please send an e-mail with contact information (participant name, company name, address, telephone and e-mail) to:  eileennichols@sbcglobal.net

We will confirm your registration and provide directions to the meeting location by e-mail reply. If you have any questions or do not have e-mail access for registration, please contact Eileen Nichols, 417-483-8139.

Cancellations

Cancellations, with refund, will be accepted until two weeks prior to the start of the course. Cancellations after March 16, 2015 will be charged $100 to cover preparation costs.

Lodging Information

There are limited lodging facilities available in Webb City, Missouri but more options are available in Joplin, Missouri about 15 minutes away. The Holiday Inn at 3615 Rangeline Road in Joplin, MO has a group rate of $87 per room per night, including breakfast for two (ask for the Better Processing School rate) at 417 782-1000. Reservations must be made by March 15.  Other options do exist and most chains provide directional advice on their websites. Participants make their own reservations and lodging is not included in the cost of registration for the Acidified Food Workshop.

Workshop Location

The workshop will be held at the Webb City Public Library at 101 S. Liberty, Webb City, MO.

Details

Manufacturers of Acidified Food Products are invited to send representatives to our new Acidified Foods Workshop at the Webb City Public Library on March 23-24, 2015. This workshop was developed in conjunction with partners at the University of Arkansas and Oklahoma State University to satisfy regulatory requirements for processors of acidified foods. The workshop will help participants to understand basic food safety principles and comply with 21 CFR Part 114.

The two-day (7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) workshop is best for managers or process operators responsible for the safety of acidified foods. New or relatively inexperienced employees are welcome and a reduced registration fee will be available for multiple representatives from a single company. The registration fee will cover all educational materials, exams, and a food safety textbook plus refreshments. In addition, the registration fee includes a laboratory analysis of the pH and water activity for one product per participant.

At the end of the program, there will be a "walk-through" of the paperwork needed to file an acidified food process with FDA conducted by a Process Authority. Every participant that successfully completes the workshop will receive a certificate that may be used to verify the training for FDA or Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services records.

The Better Process Control School for thermally processed low acid foods and the Acidified Food Workshop for acidified foods are available for companies or agencies at their site. Please contact Dr. Andrew Clarke at 573-882-2610 or ClarkeA@missouri.edu for more information and scheduling.

HACCP

The University of Missouri will also host a workshop for Implementation of HACCP for the Meat and Food Industry on March 25-27, 2015. Separate registration is required for this workshop which is accredited by the International HACCP Alliance for certificate-based instruction that satisfy USDA and FDA training requirements. Contact either Andrew Clarke at ClarkeA@missouri.edu or Starsha Ferguson at FergusonSD@Missouri.edu for more information about the HACCP Workshop.

Schedule

Day 1

7:30-8:00 AM   Registration

8:00-8:10         Welcome and Course Introduction, Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

8:10-8:45         FDA Regulations (Chapter 1), TBD, Consumer Safety Officer, FDA

8:45-10:15       Microbiology (Chapter 2), Dr. Steve Seideman, UA

10:15-10:30     Break

10:30-11:45     Acidified Foods (Chapter 3), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

11:45-12:45     Lunch

12:45-1:45       Principles of Thermal Processing (Chapter 4), Dr. William McGlynn, OSU

1:45-3:00         Food Plant Sanitation (Chapter 5), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

3:00-3:15         Break

3:15- 4:30        Food Container Handling (Chapter 6), Dr. William McGlynn, OSU

4:30                 Questions & Discussion

4:45                 Adjourn*

Day 2

7:30- 8:00 AM  Exam Retakes

8:00- 9:30        Records for Product Protection (Chapter 7), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

9:30-10:30       Process Room Instrumentation, Equipment and Operation (Chapter 8), Dr. Steve Seideman, UA

10:30 10:45     Break

10:45-12:00     Closure of Glass Containers (Chapter 16), Dr. Andrew Clarke, MU

12:00-1:00       Lunch

1:00-2:15         Closures for Semi-rigid and Flexible  Containers (Chapter 17), Dr. Steve Seideman, UA                                     

2:15-4:00         Process Authority Services and Filing Process Schedules with FDA, Dr. William McGlynn, OSU                          

4:00                 Questions, Evaluations

4:30                 Workshop Concludes

* A confidential analysis of pH and water activity of one product per participant is included in the workshop registration. Additional products can be tested for a fee (please contact Andrew Clarke at ClarkeA@missouri.edu for rates)