Thanks to Our 2015 MWFPA Convention
Sponosors
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The MWFPA News Bulletin is underwritten in part by Bug Blocker Doors & Screens
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House, Senate Return - No Slowdown On Food Issues Expected
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 The U.S. House of Representatives returned yesterday for 28 weeks of the second session of the 114th Congress, truncated by the presidential election. The Senate will return January 11 for 31 weeks. In the midst of an election year, Congress faces a fairly full schedule. MWFPA does not expect any slowdown in activity in the food safety, labeling, and nutrition policy areas in 2016. Read more at the MWFPA website. Top of Page
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MWFPA Supports Federal Sue & Settle Legislation
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MWFPA has signed on to a multi-industry letter in support of legislation designed to curb the abusive practice of "sue and settle," where advocacy groups sue federal agencies seeking to compel them to specific actions, such as issuing new regulations. H.R. 712, the "Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act," is expected to come to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote this week. Passage of H.R. 712 would shed light on the "sue and settle" process and help to make agencies more accountable to the public when they seek to enter into settlement agreements.
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FDA Gives Food Industry More Time To Define 'Natural
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 The FDA has moved the comment deadline on a ruling about the use of the term "natural" on food labels from Feb. 10 to May 10.
The extension was partly due to a request by the Natural Products Association for additional time to gather member input. The agency is seeking public comment on what "natural" should mean on food labels and how the term should be used, including with genetically engineered foods. Read more from The Hill here.
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The MWFPA News Bulletin is underwritten in part by Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp.
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MN Special Legislative Session A Possibility
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 Efforts are still underway to convene a Special Session in MN, possibly in January 2016. Working groups of key legislators have been appointed to examine three main subjects and how a Special Session could address them. The areas under consideration are 1) providing jobless benefits to unemployed steel and iron ore workers on the Range; 2) addressing conformity between Federal identification requirements ("REAL" ID) and state IDs; and 3) assistance for communities of color and racial disparities of minority communities.
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GMA Sets 2016 Food Safety Modernization Workshop Series
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 Is your company prepared to address every aspect of Food Safety Modernization? GMA's three-part Beyond the Basics Workshop Series takes an even deeper dive into FSMA, providing attendees the required tools to implement each essential component of a Food Safety Plan. Join GMA in 2016 as it guides manufacturers in the transition from HACCP to effective food safety plan -- register today!
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MWFPA Supports Research Positions At UW
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Members of the MWFPA Raw Products Committee along with the WI Potato and Vegetable Growers Association have met with University of Wisconsin researchers to discuss the importance of filling two vacant research positions in the College of Agriculture and Land Sciences (CALS).
The vacant positions are those that MWFPA contracts with to carry out its vegetable research. As a result of the meeting the two groups wrote letters of support to the Dean of CALS outlining our past financial support to the University and urging them to fill the positions. It is estimated that in the past five years MWFPA has funded over $222,000 in UW research alone. The growers have spent over $3 million in the past 10 years.
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Better Process Control School Set For April
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Midwest Food Processors Association is set to present the 2016 Better Process Control School, April 26-29, 2016 in Madison, WI.
The Better Process Control School provides the canning industry with qualified personnel to meet FDA and USDA regulations.
All processing of thermally processed low-acid or acidified foods which are packaged in hermetically-sealed containers must have certain critical operations supervised by a qualified person.The
Better Process Control School trains individuals to supervise these critical operations.
Training is being offered this year in late April in order to support training of personnel newly hired for the pack season.
Early registration deadline is April 4, 2016.
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MWFPA President Urges Support For Rawhide Boys Ranch
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MWFPA President Nick George urges members to consider supporting the Rawhide Boys Ranch.
Located outside of New London, Wisconsin, Rawhide is a non-profit organization that helps at-risk youth and their families lead healthy and responsible lives. It was founded in 1965 by John and Jan Gillespie with the help of Bart Starr and his wife Cherry. If you're from Wisconsin, then you know that Bart Starr is an NFL Hall of Fame legend and previous Green Bay Packer quarterback. Rawhide started as a ranch that helped troubled young men. They now offer residential care and community based mental health services, among their many other programs and services, to at risk boys, girls, adults and families. Read George's letter about supporting the facility here. |
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Breid Elected MWFPA Board Chairman With Other Officers
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Joe Breid, Director of Operations at Bush Brothers & Company in Augusta, Wisconsin, was elected chairman of the Midwest Food Processors Association (MWFPA) board of directors at the group's annual convention in Green Bay.
Joe has served on the Association's board since 2003 and replaces outgoing Chairman Bob Goeres of Lodi Canning Co., in Lodi, Wisconsin.
Joe previously served as chairman of the board in 2004-2005, as well as vice chairman in 2003 and 2015, in addition to secretary/treasurer in 2001, 2002 and 2014. He also serves on the board of directors of the Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Mike Forbes of Hormel Foods Corporation in Austin, Minnesota was elected vice chairman of the MWFPA board and Jon Brekken of Seneca Foods Corp., in Montgomery, Minnesota was elected secretary/treasurer.
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MWFPA Events You Won't Want To Miss
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| April 21, 2016: MWFPA Sanitation Seminar. Stoney Creek Hotel,
3060 S Kinney Coulee Rd., Onalaska, WI.
June 1-2, 2016: MWFPA Spring Summit & Scramble. Trappers Turn, Wisconsin Dells, WI.
October 6, 2016: MWFPA Sporting Clays Challenge. Milford Hills, Johnson Creek, WI.
November 29- December 1, 2016: MWFPA 112th Annual Convention and 89th Processing Crops Conference. Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells, WI.
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Other Educational Opportunities
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February 15-19, 2016: Industrial Refrigeration Workshop, Charlotte, North Carolina. This one-week course is intended for those who make decisions such as the purchase of new components, and the enlargement or modification of the plant. Manufacturers of components learn how their products fit into the entire system.
A thread running through the course is the design of a refrigerated distribution center utilizing an ammonia refrigeration system. New technologies available in ammonia refrigeration reducing the ammonia charge will be explored over the course of the workshop. For more information, click here.
April 26-29, 2016: MWFPA/University of Wisconsin - Madison Better Process Control School. Madison, WI. All processing of thermally processed low-acid or acidified foods which are packaged in hermetically-sealed containers must have certain critical operations supervised by a qualified person. The Better Process Control School trains individuals to supervise these critical operations.
Registration and schedule information is available online: www.foodsafety.wisc.edu. Early registration deadline is April 4, 2016.
May 3-4, 2016: Dryer Technology. Madison Concourse Hotel,
One West Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53703. Expand your knowledge of dryer fundamentals and learn how to apply proven methods to solve problems, and improve energy efficiency and your operations. This course will focus on continuous drying of particulate materials from foods to inorganic chemicals.
For more information, or to enroll, click here. May 5, 2016: Atomization and Spray Technology: Focus on Spray Drying Course. Madison Concourse Hotel, One West Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53703. Learn about various types of atomizers, as well as how an atomizer works, and how to select an atomizer for specific applications. This course will focus on atomization methods, functions, designs, atomizer performance, and much more. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to compare different atomizers and select the right one for your application. In addition, you will be able to calculate droplet size, cone angle, and other spray characteristics. For enrollment and other information, click here.
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