Volume 3, Issue 2 – August/September 1998
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Steering Committee Establishes FY 2000 Program Funding Plan At its August 19 meeting in Americus, Georgia, the FoodPAC Steering Committee established the Funding Plan for FY 2000. The Committee requested $2 million in funding, including $1.4 million in general funds and $600,000 in bond funds. Funding will be divided among the three Technical Committee thrusts similar to that of FY 1999: $700,000 allocated to Process and Product Competitiveness, $500,000 to Environmental, and the balance to Food Safety. In addition, a minimum of 20% will be used for new research thrusts, and approximately $6 million has been set aside for two major capital improvement projects: construction of a Food Processing Building at Georgia Tech and Phase 2 of renovations to the Food Science Building at the University of Georgia. Technical Committees Define Priorities At their respective meetings in July, FoodPAC’s three Technical Committees defined their FY 2000 Research Priorities. A full list of the priorities will be issued in October along with the Call for Proposals. Below are highlights of major additions: Environmental: address ammonia refrigeration issues, including operator training and qualifications, process safety management, risk management programs, and communication of risks to communities. Food Safety: address online biosensor technology development to provide a rapid method to determine microbial count of clean-in-place rinse waters and other process waters. Process and Product Competitiveness: address product breakage and machine size issues related to packaging technology and reduce worker stressors. New Officers Elected Sammy Wright of Southern Cotton Oil Company was elected as FoodPAC’s vice chairman, and Dan Cohn of Gold Kist was elected as chairman of the Process and Product Competitiveness Technical Committee. Both vacancies were the result of Larry Lemley leaving the respective posts to take early retirement. Upcoming FoodPAC Activities Sept 1 Steering Committee submits funding recommendations to Governor Sept 15 Project Directors submit FY 1998 final project reports Oct 15 Call for proposals for FY 2000 Nov 15 FoodPAC FY 1998—1999 Report to Industry due Feb 1 FY 2000 proposals due Feb 15 - Mar 15 Technical Committees meet to review FY 2000 proposals Mar 15 - April 1 Steering Committee selects FY 2000 research agenda	. . . . . .	Georgians for Comprehensive Recycling Editor’s Note: The following was contributed by Gary Black, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council. Georgians for Comprehensive Recycling is a non-profit organization supported by Georgia businesses, industries, trade associations, recyclers, and community groups. Its purpose is to promote policies to help reduce solid waste and litter in Georgia through education and comprehensive recycling and other waste diversion programs. Georgians for Comprehensive Recycling will focus its education and awareness efforts on all generators of solid waste and litter – residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental. Georgia businesses are committed to expanding recycling programs and litter abatement programs. The best way to do this is to continue statewide public/private partnerships through existing community recycling programs and Keep Georgia Beautiful programs. Georgia has a strong and growing infrastructure for recycling. In 1996, recycling programs and services existed in over 500 communities, covering some 94% of our state’s population. This voluntary, comprehensive approach to solid waste management works in Georgia. Some of our organization’s goals include: • providing educational tools for members • promoting litter prevention programs • assisting municipalities and counties in establishing recycling and composting projects • promoting policies and programs supporting voluntary, cost-effective recycling, composting, and comprehensive solid waste management strategies including source reduction Georgians for Comprehensive Recycling welcome the opportunity to have you join our coalition and work with your business to meet the goals we have established. For more information about the coalition, please contact Gary Black at (770) 242-3834. New FoodPAC Brochure A new brochure containing information on Georgia’s Food Processing Industry Program and FoodPAC will be available soon. The brochure highlights FoodPAC goals, organization, operating strategy, planning cycle, and there is even a section detailing facts about the food industry in Georgia. Details on how to receive copies of the brochure will be given in the next issue of The Food Chain. Program Update At its Spring Meeting, the Steering Committee agreed to request that researchers give presentations on their research initiatives to industry groups (excluding proprietary research). The request applies to all three of FoodPAC’s research thrusts. Submit comments and story ideas to the Editor at (404) 894-3412 or angela.colar@gtri.gatech.edu

For further information on FoodPAC, please contact: Executive Coordinator: Mr. Gary Black Georgia - Agribusiness Council, (770) 242-3834 Environmental Coordinator: Dr. Dale Threadgill - University of Georgia, (706) 542-1653 Food Safety Coordinator: Dr. Michael Doyle - University of Georgia, (770) 228-7284 Product/Process Competitiveness Coordinator: Mr. Craig Wyvill - Georgia Tech, (404) 894-3412

Making Georgia the national and international leader in the food processing industry in the 21st century

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