Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: As designed this project has two distinct primary audiences. The primary target is small farmers that are interested in value-added meat products. Specifically this will include small flock poultry growers, small ruminant producers and aquaculturists. A secondary audience will be other service providers who can benefit from the planned trainings in HACCP, SSOPs, humane slaughter and fabrication. In addition to these individuals, we also had a significnat ammount of interaction with USDA and the Delaware Departments of Agriculture,Public Health, and Natural Resources and Environmental Control. While not initially planned as target audiences, these groups were educated about the mission of DSU Cooperative Exensionand many of the programs that we offer. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Through this grant we proivded two direct opportunities for professional development forthe project staff. The first of these, the organization and hosting of ahybrid (online/in person)HACCP training course also provided the opportunity for members of the local community toparticipate in the organized training. Similarly, the project staff also had the opportunity to participate in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) online training as well. Informally, there were countless opportunities for the project team to obtain additional training in meat processing, and the meat inspection program at USDA. Much of this was realized through the project team's interactions with the regional USDA meat inspectors, tours of local processing plants and conversations with representatives from various Delaware agencies including the DE Department of Agriculture, DE Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and DE Department of Public Health. Our interactions with these folks were instrumental in our ability to successfully navigate the myriad of regulations at play when taking on this type of initiative. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We have participated in formal outreach efforts in DE including the 2012 and 2013 DE Ag Week - a collaborative, weeklong extension meeting that brings together ~3,500representatives from the local farming community each year. In addition to this activity we have promoted the MMPL initiaitve through the creation of informational cards which havebeen disseminated at various extension activities throughout the state; by word of mouth among our extension colleagues and various partners; andon our DSU Cooperative Extension website andFacebook pages. Other methods of spreading the word have included formal presentationsatboth the 1890 CBG Project Directors meeting in 2014, and the National Small Farms Conference in 2012. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The intent of this currentCBG proposal was quite simply to garner funds to upgrade the technology delivery abilities of DSU Cooperative Extension through the design and construction of a MMPL, whihch we were successful in accomplishing. In a subsequent propsal we received fudning tobuild on this original initiative by developing extension programming in food safety with respect to animal slaughter and meat processing. Most importantly, and key to the successful implementation of the MMPL now that it has been built, we will develop extension curriculum modules in MMPL usage, food processing safety, butcher/slaughter methods, water quality, waste management and value added financial considerations. In addition to this primary objective, in the next reporting period we will be: 1. Completing the final fit-out of the MMPL, 2. Developing and refining curriculum modules to be used in conjunction with the MMPL, 3. Implementing cleint trainings, 4. Establish a network of demonstration 'Docking Stations', 5. Refining the MMPL operational budgets, 6. Evaluating the MMPL Initiative.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
To meet our stated project objectives we accomplished the following project milestones: 1. Determined the pertinent regulatory framework governing a MMPL for use in Delaware by meeting with local, state and federal agency officials. 2. Determined design parameters for a MMPL for use in Delaware by meeting with local, state and federal agency officials. 3. Designed a MMPL based on the findings of milestones 1 and 2 above. 4. Hada MMPL built to spec thatmeets the requirements necessary to be USDA certified. 5. Developed a detailed operations manual that provides the basic operational instructsions for trailering, set-up and delivery of the MMPL to our small farmer clients. In addition to these planned milestones, we also, developed a second 1890 CBG in 2013 to continue the work with nich meat processing started by this proposal.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
McIntosh, D. 2013. Opportunities for Small Ruminant Producers with Mobile Processing Labs. Presentation at Delaware Ag Week 2013, Harrington, DE.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Mcintosh, D., G Blank, .J. Clendaniel, D. Jackson-0 Brien, B. McCrea and M. Wasylkowski. 2012. The DSU Mobile Meat Processing Lab: Concept and Design. Poster presentation at the 6th National Small Farms Meeting in Memphis, TN. September 18-20,2012
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
McIntosh, D. 2014. The DSU Mobile Meat Processing Lab. Poster presentation at the USDA 1890 CBG Project Director's Meeting in Washington, DC September 16-17, 2014.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
McIntosh, D. 2014. The DSU Mobile Meat Processing Lab. Oral presentation at the USDA 1890 CBG Project Director's Meeting in Washington, DC September 16-17, 2014.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Blank, G., B. McCrea, J. Clendaniel, S. Hoffman, M. Wasylkowski and D. McIntosh. 2014. DSU Mobile Meat Processing Lab Operations Manual. DSU Cooperative Extension.
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Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Our target audience has not changed. Changes/Problems: The desing-bid-build process for the MMPL has taken longer than originally planned. As such we have requested a no-cost extension to complete our final planned objective of drafting a detailed operations manual. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? In the next reporting period we will complete our final planned objective of creating a detailed operations manual for the MMPL.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In year one of the project we completed the necessary design work to build the MMPL. The building process was completed through a formal bid process. Members of the MMPL project team, working with the DSU Purchasing and Finance Office created a formal bid package and solicited bids. Bids were received from four potential vendors. Once the bidding had closed the MMPL project team met and reviewed the bids and selected the one that best met our needs. Nomad Global Communications out of MT we awarded the bid. Once the bid was awarded, the enginerrs at Nomad worked closely with the MMPL project team to refine the MMPL plans and create the necessary construction blueprints. PI McIntosh and co-PI Clendaniel traveled to Columbia Falls, MTin May 2013 to review the final designs prior to the initiation of construction. Construction was initiatied and in June 2013, PI McIntosh made a second visit to Columbia Falls, MT to see the nearly completed MMPL to compare the unit as-built with the plans. The completed (trailer with electrical systems, plumbing (including fixtures) MMPL was delivered to DE in July 2013. After a few minor warranty issues (i.e. trim, non-working fuels pump on the generator, etc.)weresatisfactorily addressed, we initiated conversations with our equipment vendor, Draper Equipment LLC,to design the necessary equipment to complete the final fit-out of the MMPL.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
McIntosh, D. 2013. Opportunities for Small Ruminant Producers with Mobile Processing Labs. Presentation at Delaware Ag Week 2013, Harrington, DE.
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
Target Audience: As designed this project has two distinct audiences. The primary target is small farmers that are interested in value-added meat products. Specifically this will include small flock poultry growers, small ruminant producers and aquaculturists. A secondary audience will be other service providers who can benefit from the planned trainings in HACCP, SSOPs, humane slaughter and fabrication. Changes/Problems: The planned approach that we are taking in constructing the MMPL has changed. Initially our intent was to purchase an aluminum stock trailer and then trough a combination of DSU staff labor and contractors, outfit the DSU MMPL. As the plans evolved, and through our conversation with prospective vendors, we have decided to have the MMPL built to our specifications, so that once it is delivered it will not need alterations. In short, while the specific approach has changed, our target has not. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Members of our team presented a poster at the 6th National Small Farms conference in memphis, TN to present an update on the progress of our MMPl design efforts. In addition, members of the project team, as part our MMPL planning and design efforts, had the opportunity to tour two commercial food processors. We visited a commercial seafood processor and a poultry plant. The seafood processor takes in live shellfish (mostly surf clams) and then shucks the animals, and uses the meats to make chowder and other value added food products. In contract, the poulty plant brings in live chickens, slaughters them and prepares them for retail sale. In both instances, we saw the breakdown of live animls to food product, and had a chance to discuss the processing equipment, regulations and foos safety issues at play in each plant. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Limited information about our progam has been shared with our target audience to date. This was done primarily though our presentaion at the 6th National Small Farms Conferecnce. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? In the comming months we anticipate that we will select a vendor and oversee the construction of the MMPL.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
To meet our planned objectives of building a USDA certified Mobile Meat Processing Lab (MMPL) at DSU, we identified 5 project milestones. These are to: 1) determine the pertinent regulatory framework governing a MMPL for use in DE by meeting with local, state and federal agency officials, 2) determine design parameters for a MMPL for use in DE by meeting with local, state and federal agency officials, 3) design a MMPL based on the findings of milestones 1 and 2 above, 4), build a MMPL that will meet the requirements necessary to be USDA certified, and 5) develop a detailed operations manual, incorporating both HACCP and SSOPs to guide the subsequent use of the MMPL. To date, we have successfully completed milestones 1, 2 and 3. Now that the design has been finalized, our specifications have been sent to the DSU purchasing department to initiate the formal bid process. To arrive at this point we've spent the last year meeting with various individuals and groups to discuss regulatory and operational issues associated with meat slaughter and fabrication. In addition, we met with several potential equipment vendors, trailer manufacturers and processors to refine our own plans. The notes below summarize the major meetings from the last year. 11/4/11 - Met to discuss the processing flow for each of the species of interest (goats, chickens, fish) and the associated equipment needs. General flow concepts for each species were developed to facilitate design of MMPL. 12/2/11- Toured a commercial seafood processing operation. 3n/12- Review a preliminary sketch of the MMPL plans and discussed ideas to improve overall MMPL proposed work flows. 3/9/12- Met with custom equipment manufacturer to discuss project concept and poultry processing equipment needs. 3/21/12- Met with a local equipment vendor to review the draft MMPL plans. They provided insights on possible equipment choices, and provided some operational perspective based on their knowledge of the food service/processing industries. 3/27/12 - Met with DDA to do an initial review of our draft plan. Generally the meeting went well, with several questions being raised, that sent us back to the drawing board to further refine our plans. 4/20-27/12- Spoke with DNREC representative to discuss waste disposal options and limitations. Land application of liquid wastes and on-site composting of solids was proposed, with over sight from DDAs nutrient management program. 5/1/12- Contacted DPHS to discuss the possible land application of liquid wastes and on-site composting of solid wastes. They agreed that over sight by DDA was most appropriate. 5/3/12- Met with USDA/FSIS/OFO representatives in Salisbury, MD to review the draft MMPL plans. This meeting was helpful in clarifying several key issues that were outstanding for us. 8/31/12- MMPL team met to review two preliminary MMPL quotes and finalize the specifications for the formal bid.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Mcintosh, D., G Blank, .J. Clendaniel, D. Jackson-0 Brien, B. McCrea and M. Wasylkowski. 2012. The DSU Mobile Meat Processing Lab: Concept and Design. Poster presentation at the 6th National Small Farms Meeting in Memphis, TN. September 18-20,2012
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