Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The proposedWRCEFS project aims to continue our efforts to enhance food safety education and support for FSMA implementation, building on the existing multi-regional, multi-institutional framework within the U.S. Western Region. We will accomplish this through a successful coalition of food safety specialists from land-grant universities, Alaska Native-Serving, Native Hawaiian-Serving, and Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations from 13 western states and two Pacific territories. Through four specific goals WRCEFS will : (i) Support the development of regional food safety education and outreach opportunities for trainers and food industry; (ii) Coordinate a regional communication strategy to promote collaboration and discussion on common food safety issues and best practices; (iii) Collaborate with other regions and constituents to peer-review modified and supplemental food safety training resources; and (iv) Continuously evaluate the effectiveness and impact of education and training initiatives in the Western Region through ongoing program assessment.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The purpose and long-term goal of WRCEFS is to continue to promote collaboration in food safety education and food industry support of FSMA implementation through the multi-regional and multi-institutional infrastructure established in the U.S. Western Region.Objective 1. Support the development of regional food safety education and outreach opportunities for trainers and food industry in the Western Region.Objective 2. Coordinatea regional communication strategy to promote collaboration, and discussion on common food safety issues and best practices within the Western Region.Objective 3. Collaborate with other regions and regional constituents to support the peer review process of modified and supplemental food safety training resources.Objective 4. Evaluate the impact of education and training activities in the Western Region through ongoing program assessment.
Project Methods
To achieve each objective, the following methods and activities will be employed:Objective 1:Organize and support the development of the supplemental continuing education workshops for Western Region food safety trainers (e.g., PSA trainers/lead trainers and FSPCA PCHF lead instructors).Administrative and technical support for Trainers-of-Trainers (ToTs) to organize and instruct PSA TTT workshops across the Western U.S.Administrative and technical support to Lead Trainers/Lead Instructors delivering food safety trainings to the food industry.Objective 2:Coordinate the WRCEFS Annual Meetings.Support attendance of WRCEFS members at WRCEFS annual meetings.Hold monthly core team meetings with sub-regional leads (co-Project Directors), and quarterly meetings with extended membership (e.g., State Departments of Ag., other RCs, Alliances, FDA-State Produce Safety Implementation Cooperative Agreement Programs, USDA and FDA partners) via Zoom platform.Provide other mechanisms of access such as shared cloud storage (e.g., Box, Google Drive, OneDrive) to be used for active editing and sharing of educational materials among the collaborating institutions.Maintain the WRCEFS website that is accessible to the public, including:Communicate trainings and other events.Link to PSA, FSPCA, other RC and LRCC information and materials.Distribute add-on training materials.Objective 3:Coordinate the review and approval of add-on materials as required.Through sub-region leads, recruit SMEs to participate in ad hoc committees to review add-on materials and alternate curricula, as required.Track peer review system usage and outputs.Objective 4:Evaluate Objective 1 through the continued evaluation of train-the-trainers, growers, and processors trainings using standardized pre-/post-tests developed by the Southern Center and exit and follow-up surveys developed by WRCEFS.Track the number of add-ons submitted, accepted, and rejected through the peer review process via the Clearinghouse.Track the number of SMEs recruited annually for the peer review process.Train each state/territory team within sub-regions on effective outcomes and impact assessments and reporting.Interact regularly with other RCs and LRCC to align sponsor reporting requirements and share best practices.Plan annual WRCEFS progress meetings.Deliver annual formative evaluation report to USDA.Standardize communication strategy with FSOP projects to collect and collate outcome data on program outcomes and impacts.Assist FSOP awardees in the Western Region with developing plans to report outcomes.