Category Archives: Collaborations

What Is An Apprentice Program, And How Can Your Plant Benefit From One?

 

“Apprenticeship program” is a term that gets thrown around frequently, but what does it actually mean, and how is it beneficial? Our Dairy Foods Extension and Harvest New York teams have spoken with the Manufacturer’s Alliance of Central New York (MACNY) to discuss how apprenticeship programs can be useful for New York dairy processors in closing the skills gap.

MACNY is an organization that assists businesses with navigating the logistics and documentation side of an apprenticeship program. Our teams and MACNY have identified a maintenance mechanic track as having potential for dairy processors in the near future. There are two options for apprenticeship programs: first is an Accelerated Apprenticeship Program (AAP). In an AAP, businesses tell MACNY how many employees are needed for a certain apprenticeship track (for example, maintenance mechanics). When enough employers request enough maintenance mechanics to guarantee at least 10-15 new hires, MACNY will assist in locating and screening potential employees. They then host a career night where interested businesses meet potential employees to find the ones best suited for each business, similar to speed dating. The employees that are matched and hired go through a six-week boot camp, followed by on-the-job training.

An AAP is an attractive options if several dairy and/or food plants are willing to consolidate their needs and commit to bringing on developing employees.

The other option is a Registered Apprenticeship (RA). The purpose of an RA is to enroll an existing employee or new hire to build up an existing workforce. With this option, businesses work directly with MACNY to determine a path for employees. In order for an RA to be effective, five components are necessary:

    1. Business Involvement
    2. Structured on-the-job training
    3. Related instruction
    4. Wage reward for gained skills
    5. National Occupational Credentials

If your organization is interested in learning more about apprenticeship program options, please reach out to MACNY at 315-474-4201, or Anika Zuber at adz8@cornell.edu

IFS@CU to Host Webinar on World Food Safety Day

Join the Institute for Food Safety at Cornell University (IFS@CU) and its collaborating programs in celebrating World Food Safety Day on June 7, 2019 by attending a webinar on food safety from farm to fork.

Learn how Cornell faculty and staff are working to address food safety challenges through conducting applied research, offering trainings, and providing services. This webinar will feature talks from some of our food safety experts in fresh produce (Dr. Elizabeth Bihn), dairy foods (Dr. Sam Alcaine and Dr. Nicole Martin), and food processing and manufacturing (Dr. Bruno Xavier).

The IFS@CU is hosting the webinar on June 7, 2019 from 10 am to 11:30 am (Eastern Time). It is free but registration is required. You will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar after you register.

Please register through the following link: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/4bf938e3e3227ebdc5b9141539e44ee6

Questions? Please contact Nancy Long at foodsafety@cornell.edu.

2019 Critical Issues in the Food Industry Conference

Thursday, June 6, 2019

 Terry Hills Golf Course

5122 Clinton Street Road Batavia, NY 14020

 

Registration begins at 8:00 AM

Light Continental Breakfast will be served during registration

Conference followed by 9-Hole Golf Outing (shotgun start)

  • Doors open at 8 AM for continental breakfast & registration
  • 08:30 – 08:45 AM: Welcome and Affiliate updates, Marsha Koerner
  • 08:45 – 09:45 AM: “The New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program” Melanie Hemenway DVM, NYS Cattle Health Assurance Program Coordinator, NYS Agriculture and Markets
  • 09:45 – 09:55 AM Break
  • 09:55 – 11:00 AM: “Regulatory response to Food Borne Illness” -Mary Walawander, Epidemiology/ Surveillance/ Disease Control, Erie County Dept. of Health & John Luker, Assistant Director, NYS Ag & Mkts, Food Safety & Inspection Division”
  • 11:00 – 12:15 PM: Lunch Buffet
  • 12:15 – 01:30 PM: “Sliced Swiss Cheese, A weight Loss Story” – Kim Bukowski, Dairy Foods Extension Specialist, Cornell University
  • 01:30 – 01:45 PM: Break
  • 01:45 – 02:45 PM: “Food Defense on the Farm” – Donna Walker, Regulatory Manager, Dairy Farmers of America
  • 3:00 PM NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY and Tee Time

 

3:30 PM: Tee Time

  • 9 Holes of Golf with Cart Rental: $20.00 per person. Shotgun Start
  • This is a great price with a large discount for our group!
  • Please note below if you will be part of a particular foursome or if we can pair you up

 

Directions to Terry Hills Golf Course:

  • NYS Thruway/I-90 to exit 48 Batavia, Pay toll, then turn left onto Rt. 98 South, Turn left at 2nd light onto Rt. 33 East, Go 1 mile and continue left onto Rt. 33 East, Terry Hills is 1.5 miles on the right

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Registration Fee Conference only: $40                       Registration Fee for Conference & Golf: $60 Registration Deadline: May 17, 2019                                Pre-payment required

Send your PRE- PAID REGISTRATIONS to:

Deb Hill 8046 Airville Rd. Corfu NY 14036 or jerseycows@empacc.net.

Questions? Please contact Marsha Koerner at: (716) 562-0297 marsha.koerner@perrysicecream.com

 If payment through corporate channels will delay registration, please email Deb a list of attendees and note: “payment to follow.”

*checks must be payable to Western Association of Sanitarians*

Number Attending
Conference Only: X $40.00 per person =
Conference and Golf: X $60.00 per person =
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED:
Company:
Names:

 

 

 

 

– Critical Issues in the Food Industry Conference –

 

OVERVIEW:

This 1-day conference will cover a variety of topics for Food Safety and Quality Professionals. The program includes educational and networking opportunities over a continental breakfast, lunch and golf. The key topics will be: The NYS Cattle Health Assurance program, Statistical Process control for weights, Food Defense on the Farm, and Regulatory Response to Food Borne Illness.

 

SPEAKERS:

 

Melanie Hemenway DVM, NYS Cattle Health Assurance Program Coordinator, NYS Agriculture and Markets

Dr. Hemenway earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Florida and her B.S. degree in Animal Science from the University of Florida. For the past 15 years she has been a field veterinarian for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, 9 of them as the New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program Coordinator.  Before that she was a private veterinarian at Attica Veterinary Associates in Attica, New York for 7 years.  She is a member of the National Institute of Animal Agriculture and the U.S. Animal Health Association.

 

Kim Bukowski, Dairy Foods Extension Specialist, Cornell University

Kimberly Bukowski is part of the Dairy Food Science Extension team at Cornell University where she provides leadership for the Dairy Foods Certificate Program, including program oversight, marketing, and development. Kim also provides Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) consulting and training to the industry. She is a certified Safe Quality Foods (SQF) auditor and Trainer. She is a lead instructor for FSPCA Preventive Controls and FSVP.

Kim’s career in the dairy food industry includes working in dairy quality and processing, plant management, brand development, and building a facility to manufacture and sell ice cream.  She managed the Borden’s Ice Cream Plant, the Cornell Dairy Plant and operated her owned 2 stores that manufactured and sold ice cream in Manlius, NY.

 

Donna Walker, Regulatory Manager, Dairy Farmers of America

Donna Walker’s family operates a 6th generation dairy farm in Springwater, New York.  After graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Biology, she worked for Quality Milk Production Services as a laboratory technician before taking a position with Dairylea and later Dairy Farmers of America as a Field Representative and Certified Milk Inspector.

Donna is the current chair of the NYS Association for Food Protection Farm Methods Committee, sits on the Quality Milk Production Services Industry Advisory Committee, and is a past board member of the Empire State Milk Quality Council.

 

Mary Walawander, Epidemiologist, Erie County Department of Health                                                                      Mary Walawander is an Epidemiologist with the Erie County Department of Health Office of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance.  She has worked on many communicable disease and food related outbreaks over the past 28 years.  As an Epidemiologist, Mary is responsible for overseeing the investigation and reporting of communicable diseases in Erie County.  She works closely with the community and medical providers to offer guidance in Public Health policies and procedures.

 

John Luker, Assistant Director, NYS Ag & Mkts, Food Safety & Inspection Division

John is a recognized expert in food safety and low acid food processing and has been an instructor for Cornell’s Better Process Control School. He has been on the executive board for NYSAFP and is a past president for that organization. He is also a member of The Association of Food and Drug Officials, Central Atlantic States Association of Food and Drug Officials, and North East Food and Drug Officials Association. John is a graduate of the Food Processing Technology program at Morrisville College. He has 18 years of industry experience at Comstock Foods and Grandma Browns’ Beans Inc. While at NYS Ag & Mkts he has been in the role of field inspector, Director of Field Operations and since 2009 has been the Assistant Director for the Food Safety and Inspection division.

 

Five Ways Dairy Foods Extension Helps Put New York Cheese on the Map

Janet Fletcher’s April newsletter article places New York as her #4 pick in her Top 5 States for Cheese. We are proud to say that we have worked with many of the Cheesemakers and retailers mentioned in her article, and many more of the fantastically innovative cheesemakers in New York State and beyond.

There are many barriers to success in the cheese business. Our team works to help break those barriers by providing practical resources to businesses to promote the production of high-quality dairy products. These resources include collaboration with the Food Processing Development Laboratory, Product and Process Development, increased market accessibility, Food Safety and Quality Plan guidance, and dairy specific coursework as part of the Certificate Program.
Ezra's clothbound cheddar at Murray's Cheese in NYC
Food Processing Development Laboratory: Our FPDL pilot plant provides businesses with the equipment and technical resources that they need. For businesses looking to make a new or different style of cheese, equipment costs and product development can be a major bottleneck. The FPDL equipment is available for companies to utilize, allowing them to avoid capital costs of new equipment for different products. This resource allows New York cheesemakers to make innovation more affordable. Additionally, our staff can provide cheesemakers with valuable input for product development. This resource allows companies’ visions come to life in examples like the partnership between the FPDL, Murray’s Cheese, and Old Chatham Sheepherding Company.

Product and Process Development: Product and process development are easier said than done. There are endless possibilities for cheese flavor profiles and how to achieve them. Moisture and pH levels? What type of cheese press to use? What type of cultures? There is always more to learn in the cheese business. Whether or not businesses utilize our FPDL, we work with cheesemakers to answer their specifics questions on the cheese making processes and how to best achieve the product profile they are looking for.

Linking to markets: “If you build it they will come” is not always true! To ensure consumers can enjoy the breadth of fantastic cheese produced in New York and the Northeast, partnering with retailers is critical. We have helped foster connections between cheesemakers and retailers such as Wegmans. Old Chatham Creamery, Nettle Meadow, Sprout Creek, Consider Bardwell, and Goats and Gourmets are some of the cheesemakers who we have helped partner with Wegmans. Sometimes, a barrier for cheesemakers entering the retail market can be food safety and quality plans. We work with companies through workshops and individual consultation to help them.

Food Safety and Quality Plans: While people do not enter the cheese making business to begin writing food safety plans, they are extremely important. If done well, they prevent problems from occurring. If ignored, there can be major ramifications that impact the cheese industry. Our entire Dairy Foods Extension staff makes food safety a top priority, and we assist plants with developing strong food safety plans, and reacting to food safety issues. The Food Safety Modernization Act emphasizes the importance of proper food safety plan development in hazard analyses, record keeping, and corrective actions. We provide resources to cheesemakers of all sizes through our Artisan Dairy Food Safety Coaching Workshops, Certified HACCP Workshops, Preventive Controls for Qualified Individuals Workshops, SQF Quality and Safety Workshops, and one-on-one food safety plan development meetings.

Certificate Program: Knowing the “why” behind the steps we take is key to fully understanding a process. Dairy processing is no different. Our Dairy Foods Certificate Program is designed for participants to learn the “why” behind the most critical steps in dairy processing. Business owners and employees attend our workshops to elevate their knowledge and understanding to the next level. Participants who complete our Dairy Science and Sanitation course, a Food Safety Course, our Pasteurization course (Vat or HTST), and our Cheesemaking course, can achieve a Cornell University Dairy Foods Extension Certificate in the Science of Cheesemaking at a basic or advanced

We look forward to continuing the growth and success of the New York State Cheese Industry!

 

New Course Offering: Preventive Controls for Animal Feed

Cooperative Feed Dealers in partnership with Cornell University and Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance will be hosting Preventive Controls for Animal Feed Qualified Individual Training.

 

The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Animal Food regulation (also referred to as FSMA Preventive Controls for Animal Food regulation) is intended to ensure safe manufacturing, processing, packing and holding of food products for animal consumption in the United States.

This course, developed by FSPCA, is the standardized curriculum recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a preventive controls qualified individual.

Three separate training opportunities will be held May 23-24, August 15-17, and November 7-9, 2017. Courses will be instructed by Barbara Simeon of CFD and MacKenzie Waro of Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York Program.

Manufacturers are encouraged to register on the CFD Home Page by clicking the blue box that reads FSPCA Preventive Controls for Animal Food.

New Cured Meats Course

The Cornell University Extension Program is launching new cured meat processing courses at Cornell University in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY.

The Cured Meats Workshop is tailored to small-scale meat processors and restaurant owners interested in creating a value-added meat product for their customers.

The course consists of lecture sessions that will cover basic charcuterie, meat fabrication, casings, grinding, as well as an overview of HACCP, scheduled processes, and testing. Participants will also learn through hands-on sessions the basics of cured meats production in coppa, pancetta, speck and others.  The course is being co-instructed by MacKenzie Waro of Harvest NY and Kevin McCann of McCann’s Local Meats in Rochester NY.

Space is limited-register today at http://bit.ly/MeatCourseMay2017

CIFS-IPP Member Spotlight: Juice Press

Juice Press, and the Cornell Institute for Food Systems Industry Partnership Program share a Juice Press logospecial passion for the food industry and for the commitment to enhance local and global food systems through scientific discovery, advanced technologies, and social strategies.  Read more about the on-going relationship between CIFS-IPP and Gold member Juice Press here.

Job Opportunity at Friendly’s Ice Cream

Sanitation Supervisor

Join the company with the vision to make the world Friendly, One Scoop at a Time!

Do you want to be part of a team whose mission is to Create Great Memories by bringing Family and Friends together?  Year after year, we strive to be the best Friendly’s we can be, because we owe it to our guests, consumers and to our team. We are friendly people! Our team is filled with great people who are optimistic, fun and always act with integrity. Be one of those Friendly people who are making a difference in the business and the communities we serve on a daily basis.

The Sanitations Supervisor is responsible for the development and implementation of our master sanitation program that includes cleaning procedures and policies for all equipment and areas located in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. This position reports into the Manufacturing Organization and works cross-functionally to provide guidance and support to manufacturing and distribution employees on the sanitation of the facility, equipment and grounds. Candidate must have demonstrated experience in the following areas:

  • Setting sanitary standard operating procedures (SSOP’S) covering CIP, COP, and DRY cleaning operations.  As well as creating a validation program to monitor effectiveness of the cleaning.
  • Manage a facility chemical program, overseeing that chemicals and sanitizer are properly used and at correct strength and inventories, safety procedures for handling and storage are monitored.
  • Provide guidance and support to manufacturing and distribution employees on the sanitary design of the facility, equipment and grounds. This responsibility includes assisting in identification of capital needs for modification or replacement on existing equipment or structures for improving hygienic conditions.
  • Following up with Management on issues arising from internal and external audit findings. Investigating sanitary problem areas, with suggestions for corrective action to Management.
  • Provide training and awareness programs to assure that plant personnel are adequately skilled in cleaning and sanitation principles and methods.
  • Maintain effective monitoring, trending and reporting of sanitation effectiveness on a routine basis.

Requirements

  • 5 years experience in a dairy plant, preferably ice cream or 3 to 5 years technical/operational experience in a food-related industry. Sanitation design/sales or experience is necessary.
  • Superior oral and written communication skills including leading a team or supervising others experience.
  • Must be willing to work flexible hours including 2nd and 3rd shift on a regular basis.
  • Bachelors Degree in Food Science, microbiology or related field, preferred
  • Understanding of food safety principles/risk assessment, certification in a GFSI recognized program and in HACCP, a plus.

 

Our Business

Friendly’s is proud to serve great food, at a great value, in a friendly, fun atmosphere where memories are created that last a lifetime. We are poised for growth, and we know that the best is yet to come for us.  As an Employer of Choice, we offer a wealth of opportunities for career growth within a high-performing and rewarding environment.

 

Our Benefits

The health and well-being of our Team Members in a high priority at Friendly’s. We offer competitive compensation and benefits and we believe these are key components of our Team Members’ total rewards and employment experience.

  • Every day is casual “Fridays” at Friendly’s – Yes, you can wear jeans everyday!
  • Free Ice Cream
  • Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance
  • 401k Retirement Plan