FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, AUG. 20, 2009

NCDA&CS offers food safety workshop for small food entrepreneurs, meat handlers

RALEIGH - Food recalls have grabbed headlines in recent years, bringing the kind of attention food businesses hope to avoid.

To help small food entrepreneurs understand what is involved in food recalls and how to protect their business, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is hosting a workshop, “Preventing a Recall - Protecting Your Food Business,” Sept. 17. The workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Martin Building, N.C. State Fairgrounds.

The workshop is designed for small food entrepreneurs and food producers who sell directly to the public, meat handlers producing and selling meat products, individuals interested in developing food recall plans to protect their businesses, and individuals who want to expand market outreach and are required to obtain liability insurance to enter new markets.

Topics to be covered include: “Lessons from the Food Safety Front: What If You Had Used Peanut Butter in Your Products?,” “Recall 101,” “The Economics of Food Recalls,” and “What to Do If You Need to Issue a Recall: Procedures and Agency Roles.”

Following lunch, there will be a tabletop exercise where instructors will walk participants through the scenario of a Class I food recall.

The workshop is limited to 40 participants and the deadline to register is Sept. 8. Cost is $30 and includes breakfast and lunch. Checks should be made to N.C. Ag Promotions Inc. For questions or more information, contact Annette Dunlap, agribusiness developer, at (919) 733-7887 or go to www.ncagr.gov/markets/recallseminar.pdf.

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