Progress 02/01/24 to 01/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, efforts focused on targeting shared use and central kitchens in urban and rural environments, focusing on three counties; Monongalia, Cabell, and Greenbrier and recruiting food producers to engage in food safety outreach and training. There was an overall lack of sign ups across the state for taking Better Process Control School, so efforts were targeted on education, awareness and recruitment of individuals to take the training and understand pathways associated with the advanced food safety training. Target audience included shared use kitchens and central kitchens in three counties, as well as targeted outreach to community & technical college foodservice management programs. Changes/Problems:The subcontractor was not able to complete work, due to low enrollment, and personal capacity. Subaward was terminated and funds reallocated to award. The awared also changed institutional homes to the West Virginia Unviersity Institute for Community and Rural Health, to support student engagement and due to employement changes of Primary Investigator. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Development of food safety pathway and pipeline for foodservice management professionals to understand opportunities and certifications available throughout experience and time in shared use and central kitchens. These include moving from food handlers training, to food manager training from the county health department, to credentialing opportunities from National Restaurant Association Education Foundation Serv Safe and Manage First training, Product Development training from Cooperative Extension, Cottage Food training and meat processing training facilitated by the WV Famers Market Association to build competency before advanced food safety training certification with increased emphasis in food microbiology in the Better Process Control School Training. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results from engagement and connectivity through the network were shared at state and community gatherings. These included community roundtables at the National Farm Viability conference which was hosted in WV this year, the WVU Extension Small Farm Conference, the Processing, Aggregation, and Distribution meeting at the CAN Central Appalachian Network gathering and through peer network sessions directly with shared use and central kitchens across the state. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next year, participants that were targeted, and recruited for BPCS training will undergo training. Central and shared use kitchen networking efforts will increase and expand to other counties, and investigation into kitchen-identified issues will be supported by internship engagement through the sustainable food system fellowship. Connecting student interns with the kitchens for an indepth, hands on experience to apply skills but also an opportunity to work along side managers and owner / operators ot the kitchens to expose and mentor opportunities for professional development to foster the pathway from food handler to advanced food processor. Recruitment efforts to engage kitchens in two additional counties (Hardy and Greenbrier) is underway, in addition to supporting outreach efforts at the WV Small Farms Conference, and the Appalachian Regional Food Business Center Gathering. Working with state partners to identify individuals interested in developing processing skills has been amplified by the efforts of the ARFBC. We have identified 13 new food processors who desire to complete better process control school in 5 counties for 2025.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The award and investigator were moved to the WVU Institute for Community & Rural Health, this assisted in facilitating educational opportunity development and dissemination to the target population. Educational resources were made available to participants and central and shared use kitchens. This resulted in additional areas that can be strengthened particularly related to recruitment and retention of talent and development of pathways for food processors to advance their skills. BPCS training was not offered this year in the state due to low interest and lack of responses to the pre-registration survey which was used to base predictions and justification for the in person class. This resulted in targeted communication efforts to promote the training, opportunities for processing and illumination of the pathway for food processors once obtaining advanced food safety training. Networking and connection amongst central kitchens, shared use kitchens, and food innovation centers identified challenges that were not addressed by the existing curriculum that could be addressed by interns in the coming year. The internship efforts were strenghtened to address gaps in knowledge ,using the USDA CORE Food System learning outcomes. This provided additional background information related to the overall food system, and a greater indepth understanding around food production .
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Progress 02/01/23 to 01/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:This performance period targeted students enrolled in the Pierpont Community Technical College's Food Service Management associate degree program. A total of 17 students completed the curriculum enrolled through the program and 4 students completed BPCS training, and subsequent field experiences utilizing training. No additional students completed BPCS training this year due to classes being cancelled by WV Department of Agriculture due to low state enrollment. Changes/Problems:The PI was requested to change academic homes due to being awarded USDA Farm Service Agency Increasing Land, Capital, Market Access cooperative agreement grant. The new academic home will be WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health. As previously reported Greenville Farm Kitchen cased operations due to budget constraints. Additional shared use kitchens located in Morgantown, WV have been engaged. Subcontractor is having issues in completing student trainining and placement obligations due to low interest of target population. Rebudgeting will be discussed amongst research team to target marketing efforts to increase recruitment. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Engagement of new kitchen sites in Morgantown and Community and Technical College programs in Wheeling, WV and Huntington WV . 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?Recruitment and engagment of other community and techncial colleges to increase interest to offer in-person BPCS training. Online BPCS training is not requested by Pierpoint Community technical college due to low student engagement with online platform, and ability to ask questions.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
It is notable that the PI hase been requested to change academic homes within WVU. The outputs will continue with minor modifications to naming and hosting of materials. Certificate of completion will be granted by Pierpont Community Technical College. The research team is working steadily on accomplishing the project goals. The site locations and kitchens had to be adjusted due to Greenville Kitchen closing after year 2. Sprouting Farms is getting a new Executive Director, but it is still unclear when and if they will resume kitchen and value added processing. This has prompted exploration into additional kitchens and locations including Wheeling, WV in the Grow OV - Wheeling Processing Center in Wheeling, WV, and the Monongalia (Mon) County Food Innovation Center in Morgantown, WV. These are non-profit operated commercial kitchens, that do not currently have any staff with BPCS training. Wheeling is affiliated with WV Northern Community College which has a similar program to the Food Service Management Program at Pierpont Community Technical College which is affiliated with the Morgantown, WV location being one county over. These will serve as site locations for years 3-5+. Students in year 2 have completed online educational modules as reported, focusing on food safety and processing (c). Prior to mapping food system assets (a) and local food procurement (b), Pierpont faculty member indicates a need for increased food system/agriculture training for students in year 2 to navigate materials for identifying and procuring local foods for processing. Students completed experiential learning internship this summer and the HOUSE recipe program is serving as a platform for future Ag Workforce training applications to generate revenue for processing positions, as the current processing landscape is predominately operated by non-profit kitchens.
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Progress 02/01/22 to 01/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:This performance period targeted students enrolled in the Pierpont Community Technical College's Food Service Management associate degree program. A total of 17 students completed the curriculum enrolled through the program and 4 students completed BPCS training, and subsequent field experiences utilizing training. Changes/Problems:PI changed academic homes to the WVU Health Affairs Institute. Executive Director of Sprouting Farms resigned in late fall. The commercial kitchen arm of the organization, Greenville Farm Kitchen ceased operations due to budget constraints. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Expansion into other food service management programs in the state, starting with Wheeling WV, then going south to Mount West in Huntington WV. Future grant opportunities - use of HOUSE recipe program for revenue generation to increase value added products to hospitality locations across state (state parks etc), and support processor positions for non - profits. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Current dissemination is focused on community technical colleges, food service management programs, dietetics, hospitality & tourism to expand pipeline, and add layers to the spectrum of processing positions and skills needed to address the challenges in the state. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Build out capacity to work with new kitchen sites. Address a & b in curriculum pieces.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
It is notable that the PI changed academic homes. The outputs will continue with minor modifications to naming and hosting of materials. Certificate of completion will be granted by Pierpont Community Technical College. The research team is working steadily on accomplishing the project goals. The site locations and kitchens had to be adjusted due to Greenville Kitchen closing after year 2. Sprouting Farms is getting a new Executive Director, but it is still unclear when and if they will resume kitchen and value added processing. This has prompted exploration into additional kitchens and locations including Wheeling, WV in the Grow OV - Wheeling Processing Center in Wheeling, WV, and the Monongalia (Mon) County Food Innovation Center in Morgantown, WV. These are non-profit operated commercial kitchens, that do not currently have any staff with BPCS training. Wheeling is affiliated with WV Northern Community College which has a similar program to the Food Service Management Program at Pierpont Community Technical College which is affiliated with the Morgantown, WV location being one county over. These will serve as site locations for years 3-5+. Students in year 2 have completed online educational modules as reported, focusing on food safety and processing (c). Prior to mapping food system assets (a) and local food procurement (b), Pierpont faculty member indicates a need for increased food system/agriculture training for students in year 2 to navigate materials for identifying and procuring local foods for processing. Students completed experiential learning internship this summer and the HOUSE recipe program is serving as a platform for future Ag Workforce training applications to generate revenue for processing positions, as the current processing landscape is predominately operated by non-profit kitchens.
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Progress 02/01/21 to 01/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes community college/technical colleges with foodservice management programs. This includes 2 year associate degree programs with field placement requirements. Our secondary audience includes community kitchens/shared use kitchens in rural environments. Our target students are enrolled inPierpont Community Technical College in Marion County, WV. As we kicked off the project, we have identified complementary community colleges that can be engaged in the future. Changes/Problems:PI Govindan changed academic units to the WVU Office of Health Affairs. This delayed payment of grant to community partners. Funds are now accessible, subcontracts and subawards initiated and no other problems are anticipated. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Food Safety Training 2021 Better Process Control School Training to 27 participants, 6 of which directly involved in project. Introduction, Hazards, Product Development Life Cycle, Controlling Food Quality and Safety, Labelling, Food Safety Management, Hazard Analysis, and Preventative Controls. Product Development workshop training (8 workshops, delivered online, to 26 participants, 6 of which directly involved in project. Community/Technical College Curriculum Map Training materials for CCTC professional development How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Planning for communication to State actors (WV DHHR, State grassroots communciation network) Community Colleges & Technical Colleges in WV with Foodservice Management Programs Dietetic and Culinary training programs that access community kitchens What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? PI moved academic units, which led to delay in getting funds to our partners. Next quarter we will be able to engage more directly with Pierpont Community Technical College to place students with community partners.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Curriculum Development - Local Food (Educational Mterials) Mapping of assets in 5 regions to identify community/technical colleges, community/shared-use kitchens, farmers markets conducting aggregation/distribution activities, and producers. Internship guide for processing recipes Community/Technical College Modules Curriculum Map (knowledge/competencies/outputs/outcomes) Mapping assets for local food processing in WV Food Safety Training Product Development FSMA/current Good Manufacturing Practices: Better Process control school training Internship guide for processing recipes (mentioned above) Better Process Control Schooltraining Training was conducted online with Virginia Tech Extension staff and WV Department of Agriculture. Training competencies incorporated into curriculum Total of 25 participants completed the training, 6 individuals completed for program as student and faculty) Planning for summer 2022 delivery with department of agriculture for year 2 Internship Developing student learning outcomes/curricuum matrix for 2 week experience for skilled labor support (see objective 1) and curriculum map Waiting on community college/covid policy for Pierpont College engagement for planning for field placement. Student recruitment materials being developed for summer/fall recruitment and placement Testing recipes with 2 kitchens Greenville and 12post trading for experiences. This process provided insight and education on equipment use, time constraints, batch size, measurements, ingredients, processing, and safety protocols. Experiential learning and insight will be communicated in upcoming Community Kitchen Network calls. GFK has requested Dill Relish, Dilly Beans, Pickled Zucchini, and Butternut Squash for testing and production. Field day with Virginia Food Works for model experience in WV. Development of communication plan for engagement in state network. \
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