Need The Training – DATCP Has The Money

Keeping the food chain safe is serious business.

UW-Madison is hosting a Basic Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) for Meat and Poultry Establishments Short Course. The event’s scheduled for May 29-30, 2024 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery building. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will be providing tuition reimbursement for qualifying participants that reside in Wisconsin through the Meat Talent Development Program, a $5 million program created by Gov. Evers.

The training is critical for the meat processing industry on all levels. They’ll discuss HACCP principles and the development and implementation of HACCP plans and programs, including new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations for meat and poultry establishments. Aside from offering classroom curriculum, there will also be a hands-on opportunity to develop HACCP program components. This course all satisfies the training requirement specified in the 1996 Pathogen Reduction/ HACCP regulation.

Participants that complete the training will receive a certificate of completion, and their name will be added to a registry of HACCP trained individuals. That database is maintained by the International Meat and Poultry HACCP Alliance.

The good news for participants is that the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture is making grants available to pay for this training entirely. Participants that reside in Wisconsin can request tuition reimbursement through DATCP’s Meat Talent Development Program during check-in at the event. Tuition reimbursement is limited to three participants per meat establishment.

The training allows for up to 60 participants. Registration will remain open until the course is filled. Find additional information and register at https://meatsciences.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/371/2023/08/Basic-HACCP-for-Meat-and-Poultry-Short-Course.2024.pdf. Questions about the training should be directed to University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science and Animal Biologics Outreach Program Manager Colleen Crummy at (608) 890-0587 or [email protected].