International Food Safety Council September 1999 * National Food Safety Education SM Participation Examples & Ideas

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From simple to elaborate, there are many ways for your department and local retail food establishments to participate in National Food Safety Education Month. We also encourage you to form partnerships with state and local restaurant associations and other food industry organizations to plan and implement activities. Here are some examples of how various organizations have participated and partnered in the past.

• The Kansas City Restaurant Association and Kansas City Health Department Food Safety & Sanitation Day,training thousands of foodservice workers in one day.
• The Oregon Restaurant Association, the Oregon Beef Council, the Oregon Dairy Council, Interstate Meats Inc., the FDA, Oregon State University, and the Health Division worked in partnership to plan and implement a barbeque media event. The Governor proclaimed September Food Safety Education Month. At the event, they promoted food safety and Fight BAC!^TM messages with a special focus on cooking meats. Alerts were sent to all local health departments to encourage them to participate; several visited schools to hand out coloring sheets and Fight BAC! stickers.
• The Texas Department of Health, joined by a partnership of 12 state government agencies and associations and 80 local health departments, sponsored Texas Food Safety Education Month in September. "Keep It Clean" was the theme of their month-long campaign, which included several activities. They obtained a signed proclamation from the governor, hosted a food safety education booth at the Capitol, sent food safety articles to newspapers and television stations across the state, sent public service announcements to radio stations statewide and conducted weekly food safety presentations on an Austin television station. In addition, over 50 presentations were conducted at schools, nursing homes and PTA meetings across the state.
• The Nebraska Food Industry Partnership promoted and supported food safety education activities during Nebraska Farm-To-Table Food Safety Month. Activities included a high school essay contest, a food safety education and information booth at the Nebraska State Fair, and distribution of food safety education materials and information throughout Nebraska. Nebraska Food Industry Partnership members are: Nebraska Association of Meat Processors, Nebraska Beef Council, Nebraska Cattlemen, Dairy Council of Central States, Nebraska Food Industry Association, Nebraska Pork Producers Association, Poultry and Egg Division - Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Restaurant Association and Nebraska Retail Grocers Association.
• The Iowa Hospitality Association partnered with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals to encourage food safety training throughout Iowa. In conjunction with National Food Safety Education Month, the Hospitality Association unveiled a new two-hour short course in food safety for food handlers.
• The Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee Area Technical College in Wisconsin conducted food safety educational activities for dietary students and culinary students.

• The Carson City Health Department in Nevada held a four-day training session for 120 local high school students who are enrolled in culinary programs. After the sessions, they tested the students. Those who received a 75% or higher mark received a card indicating that they were knowledgeable in food safety.

 
^TM/SM International Food Safety Council
* Distributed August 1999 for use in September 1999 as part of the International Food Safety Council's National Food Safety Education Month.

National Food Safety Education MonthSM is sponsored by the International Food Safety Council, a restaurant and foodservice industry coalition committed to food safety education, formed by the National Restaurant Association's Educational Foundation. For more information about enrolling in the Council free of charge, call 800/456-0111.