Colorado State University Partners in New $1.2 million Food Safety Training Center

Colorado State University and five other land-grant universities in the Rocky Mountain region will partner on a recently funded Western Regional Food Safety Training Center at Oregon State University which will focus on helping small and midsized farms and food processors in 13 Western states prevent foodborne illnesses.
Researchers from Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have formed a sub-regional mountain states team and will coordinate trainings in their states and assist in the development of region-specific food safety materials to address local production challenges. CSU Associate Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition Dr. Marisa Bunning will coordinate its training and curriculum development activities. She says
Bunning: “Many of the different including all of the western states that are involved in this project, have started to develop some trainings for their local growers but we didn’t have a coordinated effort. What is really encouraging about this funding that coming from FDA and the USDA this is going to give states the opportunity to work together and we will be able to use a curriculum that was developed nationally through coordination with ag professionals and food safety experts. It is coordinated through the Produce Safety Alliance through Cornell University. So this is going to be an opportunity for all states to become involved in this and offer it to the growers in their states to be trained in food safety issues on the farm and understand safety measures on the farm.”