Food Safety AoE Team Meeting
November 3, 2004
206 G.M. Trout , MSU Campus
Attendees: Trent Wakenight, Joan Miller, Jan Seitz, Jeannie Nichols, Toby TenEyck,
Chris Venema, Daisy Seremba, Beth Waitrovich, Paul McConaughy,
Les Bourquin, Lillian Occena-Po, Joyce McGarry, Sue Shenk, Kirk Dolan,
Cindy Warren, Al Booren.
I. Challenges for the AoE, Updates on Revenue Enhancement and Competitive
Grants - Kathy Foerster, FS AoE Coach and Interim State Leader and Fran
Adelaja, Marketing specialist, MSU Extension.
A. Competitive grants available to provide the AoE dollars to carry out
educational programs, rather than used for administrative functions.
B. The grant dollars are intended to be used to initiate NEW projects,
rather than for the continuation of previously existing ones.
C. The AoE will receive a shrinking amount of dollars in the future, so
it will be imperative to receive competitive grants to be able to plan
and pursue innovative programming. Work group endeavors will have
to be financially supported by competitive grant dollars.
D. Fran Adelaja discussed the upcoming Revenue Enhancement Initiative,
or PREF (Program Revenue Enhancement Fees).
- the intent is to raise revenue to develop and/or enhance programs
for fee-paying clients while supporting programs for non fee-paying
underserved clientele.
- the draft guideline document was distributed.
- each AoE must initiate at least one PREF program in the next year,
targeting audiences that can pay for services.
- a PREF program must be provided on a statewide or regional basis
(i.e. not offered in just one county or one location).
- 10 percent of the gross income is to be given to the AoE to be used
as seed money for future programs, or those initiated to/for audiences deemed to fall into level I (no PREF), or level II (PREF
for partial cost recovery only).
- Ideas for the Food Safety AoE PREF plan will be discussed at the
January 14th meeting. Please bring your suggestions!
II. Quick Updates
A. The AoE co-chairs attended a co-chair retreat September 13-14, 2004
where revenue enhancement was addressed.
B. The 2003-04 AoE EIS report is being compiled. Operational funding
is dependent on the submission of this report. A request was made for
the number of people reached in ServSafe trainings during this time
period for addition in the EIS report. Please contact Cindy Warren with
these numbers if you have done any of the ServSafe trainings.
C. Toby TenEyck provided an overview of the Food Safety Town Hall
Meeting that was held in Cass County in April, 2004. This format for a local
meeting is available in other settings. If interested, contact Toby. It is a
great way to connect with the community about food safety without incurring large expenses. (in fact the AoE picks up the costs).
The Town Hall meeting is highlighted in the EIS report because I had the information available, but not to suggest that this was the premiere food safety event of the year. There were many significant contributions throughout the year from Food Safety AoE members and groups.
B. MI Restaurant and Lodging Show
- this was manned by Lillian Occena, Lisa Treiber, Darci Seamon, Joyce
McGarry, Daisy Seremba and Trent Wakenight.
- Joyce commented that the majority of questions revolved around
ServSafe, and that we need to highlight this to a greater extent next
year.
- it was agreed that this is an effective way to meet and interact with
individuals and companies in the food service industry and that the
AoE should continue to participate in this expo next year.
C. Food Domain and Portal system
- Lillian Occena-Po has reworked and relaunched the Food Domain
website.
- the website currently houses both the Food Safety and Food, Nutrition
and Health AoE’s information.
- the website will eventually dovetail with the portal system
- future funding of the website was discussed, and it was agreed
that $3,000 would be designated to maintain and update the Food
Domain site, as it is not a certainty that the Food, Nutrition and
Health AoE will continue to financially support this endeveor.
E. Is It Done Yet (UDSA Thermometer Campaign)
- an overview of the August program was presented by Trent
Wakenight and Paul McConaughy.
- both attended 13 events during the 2-week period, handing out
hundreds of thermometers and promoting their use for food
safety.
F. NSF/Scrub Club
- Trent and Paul provided a brief overview of this program
sponsored by NSF. NSF is working on a website to go along
with this program.
G. MDA mini-grant
- Trent provided information about new grant dollars obtained via
the collaborative grants to support mini-grants in the next year.
- MDA no longer has money to contribute to this project.
- educational materials to encourage handwashing in children
(ages 5-8 years) was highlighted.
H. Task Force update – this was differed as there were no members present
to provide a report. Trent did discuss a fact sheet compiled by the Food
Irradiation Task Force for school personnel, and the rusick2.msu.edu and
The S.T.O.P. websites.
III. Revisiting the Food Safety AoE
A. The AoE vision statement and mission were reviewed. It was agreed
that both continued to accurately reflect the goals of the Food Safety
AoE. No changes are planned at this time.
B. Time did not allow for indepth discussion of the AoE work teams, meetings,
DACUM or membership recruitment.
IV. Election/Induction
A. Toby TenEyck officially concludes his term as AoE co-chair with this meeting.
MANY thanks to Toby for all of his work and contributions in this capacity
during the last two years!
B. Lillian Occena-Po will now begin a two year reign as AoE co-chair (although
she’s been working hard for the last year on Food Safety AoE related issues
like relaunching the Food Domain website). Thanks and welcome to Lillian!
C. An off-campus AoE co-chair is needed to begin at this time. Cindy Warren
has one year left of her 2-year term and we need a person to be preparing
to assume this role in November, 2005. There were no volunteers.
V. Budget
A. The AoE continues to have adequate funds to meet administrative costs
and provide seed money to new project development ($23,700 as of July
1st, 2004), but this money may not continue to be available in the future.
B. As indicated above the AoE will have to garner funds from competitive
grants and PREF projects.
VI. Upcoming Events/Activities
A. MCFSO (Michigan Consumer Food Safety Outreach) was discussed by
Trent Wakenight.
B. Daisy Seremba is interested in hosting a Food Safety Town Hall Meeting in
Oakland county in April, 2005.
C. Media Packets are covered through January, 2005. Jeannie Nichols has
offered to write an article on food preservation for the following release,
due May 30, 2005.
VII. The following items came up for discussion:
- Joan Miller brought to the groups attention the NSF food safety course
which is a certified course, costing $99.00 to attend. It is intended to
take the place of the 16-hour ServSafe Managers Course. Les Bourquin pointed out that neither this course or the current ServSafe course meet the current MI Food Code guidelines. The AoE will obtain more information on this course, and we may choose to become trained in this to broaden our scope. Further discussion is needed.
- Les Bourquin provided an update on his work with the Chinese
Government. He will be returning there to work on their mango marketing project over the next three years. The AoE may be involved at some point as the project deals with food safety.
- Al Boorden spoke of food security in processing plants and restaurants and the extreme cost on an individual basis. Means of reducing costs, while accomplishing the goals are being studied.
- Sue Shenk asked if Extension Educators are still able to test pressure
canners (liability issue). Generally, if was felt that if the testing equip-
ment was maintained to ensure accuracy, it would be ok. It would be up to the individual county to maintain their testing equipment. Paul
McConaughy has volunteered to follow up with more information and put the results in the CYF News.
- the status of the Food Keeper was questioned. We will have to get an
update from Lisa Treiber.
VIII. Next meeting
The next meeting of the AoE will be on January 14, 2005 at the MSU Federal
Credit Union.
Minutes respectfully submitted by,
Cindy Warren, co-chair, Food Safety AoE