By Joe Boomgaard | FoodBiz
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WEST MICHIGAN—Changes to the rules governing food safety have put new emphasis on mitigating risk throughout the entire supply chain both beyond and behind the farm gate.

As a result of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), signed into law on Jan. 4 this year, food processors and their suppliers have to create Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans for their facilities. These plans help identify and avoid potential food safety risks.

Until now, companies seeking training in HACCP had to travel outside the region. On Nov. 9-10, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center-West and The Starting Block will be hosting a HACCP training and certification course conducted by NSF International at The Starting Block in Hart.

Rather than develop the training program in-house, the organizations decided to go right to the accrediting body for the training, said Paul Powers, business development specialist with MMTC-West.

Cost to attend is $595 per person or $545 per person if two or more people from the same organization attend the training. The deadline to register is Nov. 2.

MMTC plans to partner with Varnum LLP to offer the training in Grand Rapids on Dec. 15-16.

Upon completing the training and passing a required test, attendees will receive a certificate in HACCP management. Sessions will cover cross contamination, microbiology, hazard analysis, monitoring, verification and other HACCP-related topics.

For each of the sessions, MMTC hopes to have 15-20 people participate. It could ramp up the program if demand is greater.

“We had quality programs for the manufacturers we work with now — and lean and diversification training — but we looked at specifically what we had to do with the quality component for food processors,” said Jodi Gruner, business development specialist at MMTC-West.

The regional economic development agencies have renewed their focus on agribusiness and food processing, the state’s second largest industry. Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration also emphasized agriculture’s role in economic development by adding rural development to the state Department of Agriculture’s official duties.

Agribusiness provides some 26,000 jobs and $579 million in labor income in West Michigan, according to figures from The Right Place Inc. The region has about 400 food processing companies and many more in the supply chain, Gruner said.

Generally, a company falling under the HACCP requirement would have to have certified HACCP managers on staff and develop the actual HACCP plan for their plants.

“With HACCP, you’re making sure the people on the floor understand where the critical control points are, and that makes for a safer environment,” Gruner said.

Under the new FSMA and its traceability statutes, basically all company whose products touch food have to be compliant with the HACCP requirements, she said. Some companies in the supply chain that aren’t mandated to have HACCP plans are implementing them as a way achieve a competitive advantage over those companies that do not have the plans.

“With the Food Safety Modernization Act, so many companies are being affected, especially the suppliers,” Gruner said. “But it’s really getting traction with those who wouldn’t have to adopt the program, but who have started thinking about it from a marketing perspective.”

Gruner said MMTC has learned that it needs to approach food processors differently than traditional manufacturing companies. Even though both industries share common practices, they operate under much different circumstances.

“Metal doesn’t expire. There’s no expiration date on a metal stamping. But there is on an apple,” Gruner said.