Recipient Organization
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
886 CHESTNUT RIDGE RD RM 202
MORGANTOWN,WV 26505-2742
Performing Department
Davis College of Agriculture
Non Technical Summary
The WV C.H.I.P. (Commercial/Home/Incubator-kitchens and Food Producers) Project will allow for statewide Food Safety Modernization Act efforts and food producer services to expand to other agricultural service providers - including commercial/ home/incubator-kitchens & food producers. Building upon existing statewide training on Produce Safety Rule, this Project will engage a multi-disciplinary team of WVU University, WVU Extension, and WV Department of Agriculture (WVDA) Business Development Staff stakeholders to develop, deliver and evaluate a customized food safety education and outreach program for extension agents, WV commercial-kitchens, home-kitchens, incubator-kitchens and food producers. This Project aims to address a knowledge gap in labeling, processing, and local supply chains by developing a hands-on experience in food hub activities from production, processing, labeling, marketing and distribution of local foods. The objectives of this project are 1) Engage all related WV Food authority stakeholders, to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for internal provision of related services to WV Food Processors including but not limited to; food safety, food processing, product development, labeling, nutrition facts/allergens labeling, and process control authority. 2) Develop SOP for WV Food Processors to process food for direct and indirect markets, in commercial, home and incubator kitchens. 3) Establish information for online portal for food producers, 4) Establish Kitchen Cooperative Network to grow food hubs and incubator kitchens in state, 5) Develop, deliver and evaluate four learner-centered, experiential learning based "Recipe to Reality Workshop" series to address the needs of and educate Extension Agents, WVDA Business Development Staff and agricultural service providers. ?
Animal Health Component
25%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
25%
Developmental
75%
Goals / Objectives
This project will facilitate broader goals of food production in the state. In West Virginia, producers must possess a food manufacturers license in order to sell their prepared foods, and value-added products to other businesses. This means that WV Food producers are not legally able to sell their value-added products and canned goods to another business, such as a grower or cafe for resale. The lack of guidance on how to produce and sell cottage foods, establish a commercial kitchen, obtain a food manufacturers license, and grow food-focused businesses is a limiting factor for WV food producers and processors. The WV C.H.I.P. (Commercial-kitchens, Home-kitchens, Incubator-kitchens and Food Producers) Project aims to develop, implement, and evaluate food safety education and outreach for food processors in West Virginia. The long-term goal of this project is to support infrastructure for food processors in the state, by addressing a knowledge gap in food processing education and outreach which contribute to understanding food safety rules & regulations. By engaging key state food safety stakeholders to develop standard operating procedures for various kitchen environments, this project will target food producers and processors operating in commercial, home, and incubator kitchens. Shedding light on rules, regulations, and requirements will allow many agri-service providers to operate more efficiently, to ensure food safety while increasing access to direct and indirect markets. Providing outreach education to commercial, home, and incubator kitchens and food producers will allow for a better understanding of food processing, product development, labeling, and process control authority procedures. Food processors need guidance on the services provided by state food safety regulatory agencies. The WV Food Safety Team is a coalition of state food safety experts from WVU Extension, WVU Small Farm Center, WV State Extension, and the WV Department of Agriculture- providing outreach and education to assist producers in navigating the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements. The WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, School of Agriculture & Food Division of Animal & Nutritional Sciences - provides services to WV Food producers related to food safety education, nutrition facts labeling, product development, and serves as the state's lead Better Process Control authority, as a service to the WV Department of Health and Human Resources.1 The WV Department of Agriculture Business Development provides oversight to various programs including agribusiness development, Farmer's Market Development, Veterans to Agriculture Programs, Food Distribution Programs, WV Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, International and Domestic Marketing Programing and Good Handling Practices/Good Agricultural Practices Audit Program.2 West Virginia food producers have repeatedly voiced concerns about challenges accessing consistent information about laws, regulations, what can and cannot be sold as cottage foods, food safety concerns, and the lack of centralized information for food processing, and where to turn for information that is accurate, reproducible and administered in a timely fashion.3 The lack of centralized information has created confusion among want-to-be manufacturers and placed large barriers to entry into the agribusiness marketplace, and driven producers out of state in order to find and utilize resources elsewhere.4 The need for food processor guidance has been vocalized at various roundtables in the state including West Virginia University (WVU) Small Farm Center Conference, WV Urban Agriculture Conference, Value Cluster Chain Initiative Producer Aggregation & Distribution Summit, WVU Food System Symposium, and WV Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.5 The goal of this project is to address this gap in knowledge, by streamlining services, developing specialized resources and outreach education for WV Food Processors. This project will build off of existing FSMA educational opportunities provided by the WV Food Safety Team, and services and support provided by State Food Authority stakeholders. To further efforts towards this goal, a research team from these stakeholders will work to develop standard operating procedures to clarify internal provision of services by WV Food authority stakeholders, and provide guidance on standard operating procedures for food producers to process food for direct and indirect markets, in commercial, home and incubator kitchens. By working closely with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the research team will address this crucial gap in food safety education and FSMA outreach.6 ?
Project Methods
This project has four distinct phases to guide program planning, delivery and evaluation activities. The train the trainer technique will be engaged to enlist WVU Extension agents and West Virginia Department of Agriculture Business Development Staff to take curriculum to all regions of the state. Hands on, technical training and support will be provided by the development of the enhanced food safety curriculum and online portal for food processors. Phase 1: Program planning The Research Team will engage all related WV-Food authority stakeholders to review and refine Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Food Processors to understand how to process food for direct and indirect markets, in commercial, home and incubator kitchens. Establish SOP for internal provision of related services to WV Food Processors including but not limited to; food safety, food processing, product development, labeling, nutrition facts/allergens labeling, and process control authority. Engage community partners to provide feedback on food items for value added productsEstablish SOP for WV Food Producers to understand how to process food for direct and indirect markets, in commercial, home and incubator kitchens. Establish produce specifications for working with Institutional buyers.Phase 2: Curriculum developmentThe Research Team will develop four learner-centered, innovative and experiential workshops. These will be focused on building capacity to WVU Extension Agents and WV Department of Agriculture Business Development Staff and building capacity for WV Agricultural Service Providers.Building Capacity to WVU Extension Agents & WV Department of Agriculture - Business Development Staff Workshop 1A: Rules, Regulations, and Resources for Food Processing in WV:Enhancing opportunities for food producers and food processorsCottage foods prepared in home kitchens vs commercial kitchensUnderstanding Better Process Control School and Preventative Control Training requirementsWorking with Institutional foodservice directors (K-12, college, university, prisons, hospitals, etc)Building capacity for WV Agricultural Service Providers Workshop 2A: Getting started as a food entrepreneur: "You have a recipe now what?Understanding the WV Cottage Food Law - What can I produce in my home?Food Safety - How do I make sure my food processing protocol is safe?Recipe Development & Labeling Requirements - How do I make a nutrition facts label, and have it approved? Direct sales - Where can I sell my product, and how can I market it?Workshop 2B: Scaling up: Becoming, running, and renting a Commercial KitchenUnderstanding WV Food laws - How/why/what can I produce in my commercial kitchen/food hub?Food Safety - How do I make sure my food processing protocol is safe?Labeling Requirements - How do I make a label, and have it approved?Direct and Indirect sales - Where can I sell my product, and how can I market it?Workshop 2C: Producer Perspectives: Growing for Farm to InstitutionUnderstanding WV Food Laws - Cottage Food vs Commercial kitchenFood Safety - GAP training opportunities, processing with a commercial kitchenLabeling Requirements - How do I make a label, and have it approved?Direct and Indirect sales - Where can I sell my product, and how can I market it?Phase 3: Curriculum Delivery The Research Team will deliver all workshops in the WVU Davis College Teaching kitchen during year 1. Building capacity for WVU Extension Agents and WV Department of Agriculture Business Development Staff, Workshop 1A: Rules, Regulations, and Resources for Food Processing in WV: will be delivered to a total of 50 WVU Extension Agents and WV Department of Agriculture Business Development Staff during the grant period. These individuals will be charged with facilitating the additional project workshops in their communities, to reach an additional 500 agricultural service providers in the field. Building capacity for WV Agricultural Service Providers, Workshop 2A: Getting started as a food entrepreneur: "You have a recipe now what?, Workshop 2B: Scaling up: Becoming, running, and renting a Commercial Kitchen, Workshop 2C Producer Perspectives: Growing for Farm to Institution will be delivered to a total of 150 agricultural service providers during the grant period. Phase 4: Project Evaluation The Research Team will conduct a formative, process and summative evaluation to assess changes in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. Results from this project will be shared with community, state, and national stakeholders at the following conferences and events - WVU Food System Symposium, WVU Extension Small Farm Conference, WV Urban Agriculture Conference, WV School Nutrition Association Annual meeting, WV Food & Farm Coalition on-site tours, the Value Cluster Chain initiative training series, and NIFA meeting in Washington, D.C. It is anticipated that we will train 50 WVU Extension agents and WV Department of Agriculture - Business Development Staff, and 150 current/potential food processors during the grant period. Food processors operating in commercial, home, and incubator kitchens is an area not currently served by existing food safety outreach. By utilizing the train the trainer approach with WVU Extension and WV Department of Agriculture Business Development staff, it is anticipated we will indirectly reach an additional 500 agricultural service providers. This project will build off of existing resources and programming to offer an enhanced curriculum to better serve food processors in West Virginia. Other metrics of assessment will include quantifying food entrepreneurs, value added product processing, selling to institutional clients, employees, and other Farm to Institution metrics.