Food Safety Basics for Artisan Cheesemakers / Ongoing

By Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

Registration open now.  / $49; free to WASCA members with code

Food Safety Office Hours / Ongoing (twice monthly)

By National Dairy Food Safety Coalition

Rolling registrations online.  / Free.

Pasteurization Workshop / Multiple locations in Pullman, WA / April 25-27, 2023

By Washington State University Creamery

This 3-day class on pasteurization covers vat, basic HTST systems, and on the 3rd day HHST. Additional discussions on magnetic flow timed systems and systems with auxiliary equipment are included. Hands-on activities are conducted in the WSU Creamery Facilities. Course is suggested for plant operators, maintenance personnel, quality personnel, management and suppliers to the industry.

Registration open now.  / $470 or $620 before March 24; $500 or $650 after March 24

• Food Safety Tools You Can Use (with Food Safety Training Course and Discount Code): Prepared by Dairy Farmers of Washington and Center for US Dairy
• Environmental Monitoring in the Dairy Industry [Course]: Offered by International Food Protection Training Institute
• FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Rules & Guidance
• FDA Food Facility Registration
• FDA Food Facility Attestation : Less than 1 million in sales, etc.
• WSDA Dairy Food Safety
• WSDA Recall Rapid Response Team
• FSPCA Food Safety Preventative Controls Alliance
• Preventive Controls Checklist (via Wisconsin Dept. of Ag)
• HAACP Principles & Application Guidelines
• HAACP Plan Templates & Forms
• HAACP vs. Preventive Controls
• Cornell University Covid-19 Guidance
• Safe Ice Cream & Dairy Food Safety Map (IDFA)

• Local and Regional Food Systems Response to COVID : Webinar series on business topics relevant local food producers and organizations

• Edible Alpha : Financial training and resources for making money in food.

• NWIRC Northwest Innovation Resource Center : The NWIRC is a strategic partner for innovators – entrepreneurs and inventors – to help bring their ideas to life.

• NABC Northwest Agriculture Business Center : NABC helps farmers establish new enterprises, and helps make existing businesses more profitable, by providing business feasibility, planning and implementation guidance, connections to markets and capital, and access to resources.

• Small Business Administration/ SCORE mentorships : The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. SCORE volunteers work with the SBA to provide small business mentoring and training to entrepreneurs through SBA offices.

• Specialty Food Association Learning Center: The SFA is a membership-based trade association founded in 1952 and currently representing 3,500+ businesses. The SFA vision is to “Shape the Future of Food.” Our members are specialty food artisans, purveyors, importers and entrepreneurs, as well as distributors, retailers, and others involved in the specialty food trade.

• F.A.C.T. Food Animal Concerns Trust : Webinars and grant opportunities for farms focused on humane animal treatment

• Sarah Flack : Grass-based livestock and pasture information

• ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture : Grants and resources for farmers

• Science of Artisan Cheese : Conference webinars from the British Specialist cheesemakers Association

• Microbial Foods : Excellent cheese science from Dr. Benjamin Wolfe and Bronwen Percival

• The Black Sheep School of Cheesemaking : Natural cheesemaking consulting, classes and books

• University of Guelph Dairy Science and Technology

• Peter Dixon : Cheesemaking consulting, classes and helpful publications

• ACS Safe Cheesemaking Hub : American Cheesemaking Society resources for cheesemakers

• Cheese Science Toolkit : Excellent online resource for simplifying cheese science concepts

• Summary on Cheese and Health: Handout from the National Dairy Council

Nathan Stacey, “Popular Farming Concepts and their Link to Dairies.” Presented at WASCA Annual Member Meeting. January 21, 2022.

Courtney C. Johnson, “Introduction to Our 2021 USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant Award.” Presented at WASCA Annual Member Meeting. January 21, 2022.

Daniel Wing. “Educational Webinar on Food Safety and Testing for the Washington State Cheesemakers Association.” Presented in an online webinar. September 20, 2021.

Gigi Berardi, “Washington Cheese Challenges and Opportunities in Making and Selling Sustainable and Delicious Cheese. FoodWise Stories and Science: Cultivating Customers.” Presented at WASCA Annual Member Meeting. January 29, 2021.