Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Our project's target audience is Small and Medium Food Processors (SMPs) northeast (CT, MA, NH, RI, VT) United States who produce products that may fall within the purview of FSMA's Preventive Controls Rule. To reach our target audience we compiled a large database of SMPs from internet searches. Our Webinar I registration materials were sent to email addresses of individuals who own or work for Small and Medium Processors. To recruit participants, we constructed a database of 961 SMPs in the northeast region. We recruited 86 SMPs (goal was 111 SMPs) for the 45-minute Webinars. We recruited 53 SMPs (Goal was 56 SMPs) for the 3-hour Workshops. We recruited 26 SMPs (Goal was 20 SMPs) for the 3-day PCQI Workshop. Our final Track A and B workshop sessions for Technical Assistance included 4 SMPs for Track A and 11 SMPs for Track B, (Goals were 4 for Track A and 4 for Track B). Changes/Problems:The ongiong COVID 19 pandemic created very significant challenges for our project. From March 2020 to September 2021, our University campus was closed due to COVID-19. While we pivoted our project design to be all online content delivery, this pivot greatly increased the workload for our team members. We have needed to rely on University IT resources that were stretched thin. We struggled to recruit the number of participants that we planned for, although this issue was mitgated by our excellent retention rate of participants between programming stages. The effort and time that we have expended to provide a safe, comfortable, supportive learning envirnoment when our participants are experiencing hardships at home and in thier businesses was not part of our original staffing estimation. While our pivot to online significantly challenged our proposed plan for recruitment, we are thrilled that our retention rates between programming events was strong enough for us to enroll 26 SMPs in our online PCQI course and 13 SMPs in our Worksessions (11 have been retained over the 6-month long content delivery window). We were signficantly challenged to complete the portions of the proposed work in YR 3 that are not possible to move to an online format. These two key components include, 1: producing interviews recorded live with SMPs at food production facilities to show the issues they are facing, and 2: providing live, in-person, one-on-one technical assistance to help Track A SMPs to implement PC-compliant FSPs, and to bring them through an audit or pre-audit. Between testing protocols, quarantines, facility scheduling issues related to supply chain and staffing problems, etc., it was very difficult to schedule and complete these in-person components, as planned. We made a series of compromises, including replacing a set of interviews with an online panel of our Track A group, which was presented at the Massachusetts Small Business Network Annual Conference, and acknowledging that most of our Track A participants were unlikely to pass an audit, and instead providing them with targeted TA. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have hired one undergraduate and two graduate students. Students were provided the opportunity to turn academic learnings regarding food safety. Students worked with our project team and other food safety professionals in the Northeast to develop webinar, workshop, PCQI, and Worksessions content for SMPs. One graduate student delivered content for the Webinar, Workshop, PCQI and Worksessions. The Worksessions content encompasses both prepared online content delivery and one-on-one Technical Assistance provided to Track A SMPs, including site visits. Students worked with the PD to develop online pre- and post training tools, including conducting literature reviews of similar evaluation tools and modifying the tools for this project's requirments. The two graduate students are analyzing the longitudinal evaluation data and the case study data to prepare for publication. One graduate student made several conference presentations to academic conferences, and won the prestigious IAFP:Student Travel Scholarship. The graduate student has also supported the Interview process for the video content, inlcuding providing input into interview questions.We have held regular meetings to support the students in these development opportunities. One graduate student was able to use the project as part of her disseration prospectus, which was successfully passed. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We launched our project website and posted all content delivered to date to disseminate mixed-media content to implement an accessible and motivating PC program. We provided all materials to NECAFS to be posted to the portal. We presented our project design and preliminary results at 9 conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The goal of this project is to make information regarding Preventive Controls accessible and motivating for small and medium-sized processors. Objective 1: We developed, delivered, and evaluated learnings from Preventive Controls trainings for small & medium sized processors (SMP). We identified several critical gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate behavioral change. The major barriers that we encountered include 1) a lack of knowledge regarding the costs associated with compliance, 2) the lack of awareness about the PC Rule and its application to SMPs, 3) the gap between content and knowledge acquired through the 3-day PCQI course and its applicability to SMPs, 4) the gap between learnings acquired through the 3-day PCQI and SMPs' abilities to effectively implement the learnings in thier facilities, and 5) the food safety culture of a facility is a critically important consideration for effective PC compliance. The major opportunities we encountered include 1) SMPs that are aware of the PC Rule are highly motivated to implement the rule, 2) online content delivery increased SMPs ability to engage with material, 3) SMP participants increased self-reported knowledge gains at each stage of programming, indicating that shorter, scaffolded, accessible trainings can increase learning when it is unlikely that SMPs will attend the 3-day PCQI course, 4) Simply acknowledging that there are costs associated with PC compliance increases SMP self-reported knowledge of compliance costs. Objective 2: We developed mixed-media extension content that addresses gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate SMPs to increase compliance with PC, includgin online webinars, workshops, 3-day PCQI courses. We conducted a series of interviews with all Track A SMPs and worked with a videographer to develop three videos to provide SMPs with a window into real-life examples of SMPs as they navigate the PC compliance process. Objective 3: We launched our project website and posted all content delivered to date to disseminate mixed-media content to implement an accessible and motivating PC program. We have shared this content extensively, including with NECAFS. We evaluated the increases in self-reoprted knowledge from content delivery.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Fitzsimmons, J.A., Wormald, C.W., Kinchla, A.K. (Under Review). "The Cost Barrier for Small and Medium Processor Compliance with Preventive Controls for Human Foods"
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Access and Motivation for Small and Medium Processors in the Northeast to be in Compliance with FSMAs PC Rule", 2021. Fitzsimmons, J.A. FSOP Project Roundtable
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Access and Motivation for Small and Medium Processors in the Northeast to be in Compliance with FSMAs PC Rule", 2021. Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K., Wormald, C.W. 2021 NECAFS Annual Meeting
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Access and Motivation for Small and Medium Processors in the Northeast to be in Compliance with FSMAs PC Rule", 2021. Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K., Wormald, C.W. Moore, M. 2021 NECAFS Poster Presentation
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Preventive Controls Prerequisite Education Programs to Address Food Safety Knowledge Gaps for Small and Medium Sized Food Processors?", 2021. Wormald, C.W., Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K. 2021 IFT Conference, Invited Graduate Presentation.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Preventive Controls Prerequisite Education Programs to Address Food Safety Knowledge Gaps for Small and Medium Sized Food Processors", 2021. Wormald, C.W., Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K. 2021 IAFP Conference, Poster Presentation.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Fitzsimmons, JA. Reducing the Cost Barrier for Preventive Controls for Human Foods Compliance: Evidence to Support Small and Medium Processors. USDA NIFA Food Safety Outreach Program Annual PI Meeting, Orlando, FL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Wormald, Christina L., Fitzsimmons, Jill A., Moore, Matthew D., Kinchla, Amanda, J. Food Safety Implementation Costs for Small and Medium Sized Food Processors Complying with Preventive Controls. Institute of Food Technologies Annual Event and Expo. July 2022. Chicago, IL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Wormald, Christina L., Fitzsimmons, Jill A., Moore, Matthew D., Kinchla, Amanda, J. Improving Preventive Controls Prerequisite Education Programs to Address Food Safety Knowledge Gaps for Small and Medium Sized Food Processors. International Association for Food Protection. July 2022. Des Moines, IA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Fitzsimmons, JA; Kinchla, AK; Wormald, C. From Farm to Plate, Make Food Safe. Massachusetts Small Business Network Annual Conference, March 2022
|
Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Our project's target audience is Small and Medium Food Processors (SMPs) who produce products that may fall within the purview of FSMA's Preventive Controls Rule. Our goal was to include 4 SMPs in our Track A for TA worksessions, and 4 SMPs in Track B for our TA Worksessions. To recruit participants, we constructed a database of 961 SMPs in the northeast region. We recruited 86 SMPs (goal was 111 SMPs) for the 45-minute Webinars. We recruited 53 SMPs (Goal was 56 SMPs) for the 3-hour Workshops. We recruited 26 SMPs (Goal was 20 SMPs) for the 3-day PCQI Workshop. We registered 5 SMPs for Track A and 9 SMPs for Track B, (Goals were 4 for Track A and 4 for Track B). Changes/Problems:The ongiong COVID 19 pandemic has continued to create very significant challenges for our project. From March 2020 to September 2021, our University campus was closed due to COVID-19. While we pivoted our project design to be all online content delivery, this pivot greatly increased the workload for our team members. We have needed to rely on University IT resources that are stretched thin. We struggled to recruit the number of participants that we planned for, although this issue was mitgated by our excellent retention rate of participants between programming stages. The effort and time that we have expended to provide a safe, comfortable, supportive learning envirnoment when our participants are experiencing hardships at home and in thier businesses was not part of our original staffing estimation. While our pivot to online significantly challenged our proposed plan for recruitment, we are thrilled that our retention rates between programming events was strong enough for us to enroll 26 SMPs in our online PCQI course and 13 SMPs in our Worksessions (to date, 11 have been retained over the 6-month long content delivery window). We also are signficantly challenged to complete the portions of the proposed work in YR 3 that are not possible to move to an online format. These two key components include, 1: producing interviews recorded live with SMPs at food production facilities to show the issues they are facing, and 2: providing live, in-person, one-on-one technical assistance to help Track A SMPs to implement PC-compliant FSPs, and to bring them through an audit or pre-audit. Between testing protocols, quarantines, facility scheduling issues related to supply chain and staffing problems, etc., it has been very difficult to schedule and complete these in-person components, as planned. We are still working to find creative solutions, and we are hopeful that we will find some compromises. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have hired one undergraduate and one graduate student. Both students have been provided the opportunity to turn academic learnings regarding food safety. Both have worked with our project team and other food safety professionals in the Northeast to develop webinar, workshop, PCQI, and Worksessions content for SMPs. The graduate student has delivered content for the Webinar, Workshop, PCQI and Worksessions. The Worksessions content encompasses both prepared online content delivery and one-on-one Technical Assistance provided to Track A SMPs, including site visits. Both have worked with the PD to develop online pre- and post training tools, including conducting literature reviews of similar evaluation tools and modifying the tools for this project's requirments. The graduate RA has also begun to work with analyzing the longitudinal evaluation data and the case study data to prepare for publication. She has made several conference presentations to academic conferences, and won the prestigious IAFP:Student Travel Scholarship. The graduate student has also supported the Interview process for the video content, inlcuding providing input into interview questions.We have held regular meetings to support the students in these development opportunities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have launched our project website and posted all content delivered to date to disseminate mixed-media content to implement an accessible and motivating PC program. We have presented our project design and preliminary results at 5 conferences in 2021. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: We will complete our evaluation of learnings from Preventive Controls trainings for small & medium sized processors (SMP) to identify gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate behavioral change and prepare and submit two academic papers. Objective 2: We will develop our mixed-media extension content that addresses gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate SMPs to increase compliance with PC. We will complete our interviews with all Track A SMPs. Objective 3: We will update our project website and post all content to disseminate mixed-media content to implement an accessible and motivating PC program. We will also deliver our results to relevant audiences through NECAFS Annual Meeting, clearinghouse, and other relevant avenues.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: We have developed, delivered, and begun to evaluate learnings from Preventive Controls trainings for small & medium sized processors (SMP) to identify gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate behavioral change. Objective 2: We have begun to develop mixed-media extension content that addresses gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate SMPs to increase compliance with PC. We have conducted preliminary interviews with all Track A SMPs and are currently conducting secondary interviews. Objective 3: We have launched our project website and posted all content delivered to date to disseminate mixed-media content to implement an accessible and motivating PC program. We have shared this content extensively, including with NECAFS.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Access and Motivation for Small and Medium Processors in the Northeast to be in Compliance with FSMAs PC Rule", 2021. Fitzsimmons, J.A. FSOP Project Roundtable
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Access and Motivation for Small and Medium Processors in the Northeast to be in Compliance with FSMAs PC Rule", 2021. Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K., Wormald, C.W. 2021 NECAFS Annual Meeting
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Access and Motivation for Small and Medium Processors in the Northeast to be in Compliance with FSMAs PC Rule", 2021. Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K., Wormald, C.W. Moore, M. 2021 NECAFS Poster Presentation
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Preventive Controls Prerequisite Education Programs to Address Food Safety Knowledge Gaps for Small and Medium Sized Food Processors?", 2021. Wormald, C.W., Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K. 2021 IFT Conference, Invited Graduate Presentation.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
"Improving Preventive Controls Prerequisite Education Programs to Address Food Safety Knowledge Gaps for Small and Medium Sized Food Processors", 2021. Wormald, C.W., Fitzsimmons, J.A., Kinchla, A.K. 2021 IAFP Conference, Poster Presentation.
|
Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Our project funding was initiated in February 2020. To date, we compiled a large database of SMPs from internet searches. Our Webinar I registration materials have been sent to email addresses of individuals who own or work for Small and Medium Processors. We have also recruited 3 (out of our target # of 4) SMP Site Participants . Changes/Problems:While our project start date is 9/01/19, there were multiple challenges and uncertainites with regards to when the funding would be released, so our project did not begin until February 2020. In March 2020, our University shut down due to COVID-19. We quickly pivoted to amend our project to be all online content delivery. This, of course, significantly challenged our proposed plan for recruitment. Originally we planned to recruit our Site participants from our program participant pool. Since we lost 5-6 months and faced uncertainty over the future options, we shifted to recruiting Site Participants from a strategic list. While this is going well, it necessarily means that we lose the advantage of offering a potential subsidized audit as a recruitment tool, and so our recruitment numbers are lower. In addition, while potential participants certainly value a subsidized PCQI training, the fact that the 3-day training will need to be online will likely dampen our sign-up rates. To mitigate these issues, we are offering at least one additional webinar, and developing and sharing more targeted post-webinar recruitment tools. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have hired one undergraduate and one graduate student. Both students have been provided the opportunity to turn academic learnings regarding food safety. Both have worked with our project team and other food safety professionals in the Northeast to develop webinar and workshop content for SMPs. Both have worked with the PD to develop online pre- and post training tools, including conducting literature reviews of similar evaluation tools and modifying the tools for this project's requirments. The graduate student has been training to present the Webinars (which begin at the end of August 2020). The undergraduate did signifcant research to compile the SMP database. We have held regular meetings to support the students in these development opportunities. 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? 1) We will deliver and evaluate learnings from Preventive Controls trainings for small & medium sized processors (SMP) to identify gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate behavioral change. 2) We will continue to gather content to develop mixed-media extension content that addresses gaps in accessibility and opportunities to motivate SMPs to increase compliance with PC.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1 : We compiled a large database of SMP contacts. We have developed both the Webinar I content and the Workshop content, have received approval for PCQI course. We have recruited site participants, and have recruited Webinar participants. Objective 2: We have developed interview questions, recruited interview participants, hired a videographer, and have begun to schedule interviews to capture content for mixed media outputs.
Publications
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