The Enquirer - Battle Creek, Michigan

Rep. Mark Schauer is putting pressure on the White House to guarantee long-term funding for food safety programs like the International Food Protection Training Institute in Battle Creek.

In a letter sent to White House Budget Director Peter Orszag, Schauer, D-Bedford Township, asked for "the fullest possible funding" for programs that train food inspectors contracted by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Speaking in Battle Creek on Monday, Schauer again said the International Food Protection Training Institute was his top district priority.

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Long-term federal investment in food training programs like IFPTI could solidify Battle Creek as national leader in food safety

January 25, 2010, Battle Creek - Congressman Mark Schauer (D-MI) called on White House Budget Director Peter Orszag to invest in food protection training programs as part of the 2011 federal budget to modernize America’s food safety system and save lives. Following a briefing with officials from the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) this morning, Schauer renewed his commitment to securing long-term federal support for the Institute’s important training efforts. [View Release]

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IFPTI to Reimburse Training Costs

Cash-strapped health departments will be pleased to begin the year with a little good news. The International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) in Battle Creek, Mich., is offering to reimburse all training costs for state and local officials who attend its training courses.

The institute has just released a preliminary 2010 training schedule. The curriculum is being developed in collaboration with the FDA and the Association of Food and Drug Officials, with FDA and AFDO presenting many of the courses. Courses range from the basics of inspection and investigation, low acid canned foods, evidence development, retail food safety and managing food recalls, among others.

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IFPTI releases 2010 training schedule

Monday January 11 2010
Volume: 51  Issue: 44

An organization partly funded by last year's agriculture appropriations bill to help state, local, tribal and territorial food protection professionals meet national standards has released its 2010 training schedule.

The Battle Creek, Mich.-based International Food Protection Training Institute, which was created with the help of $5 million in start-up funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, has trained nearly 300 food protection professionals working in 28 states since it was organized last July. In 2010 the not-for-profit group has a much more ambitious set of programs planned, including training sessions covering food equipment standards, HACCP for seafood and biology in the control of rodents and insects.

Most training sessions are directed by FDA instructors, says Joan Bowman, IFPTI's communications director. But the organization is collaborating with as many as 26 different agencies and associations, including the FDA, USDA, Association of Food and Drug Officials, Center for Disease Control, Food Marketing Institute and Grocery Manufacturers Association.

There is no charge for local and state inspectors to attend IFPTI's meetings, Bowman says. The organization, which has a goal of training 1,000 food protection professionals in its first year, even assists attendees in getting reimbursed for their hotel and travel costs. [Read entire story]

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The International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) and AFDO would like to get your input regarding ongoing food protection training, and we invite you to participate in a short survey. We’d also like to request that you distribute the survey link (below) to your co-workers and staff so that we can get a broad range of feedback.  This survey is intended for inspectors and regulatory officials.
 
The survey, which should take no more than 5 minutes, can be accessed by clicking the link below.  We’re looking to have all the survey’s completed by Friday, January 15, 2010.  Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/W9DPPGJ

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