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Volume 4, Issue 2 – Sept—Oct 1999 . . |
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The FoodPAC Steering
Committee held its Annual Summer Meeting in Camilla, Georgia, August 24. State Representative
Richard Royal (Chairman of the State Planning & Community Affairs Committee and
Vice Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee) joined the Steering Committee for
lunch and afterward gave brief remarks. He mentioned his excitement about the state
of economic development in rural areas and touched on the Governor’s intention to
use part of the tobacco settlement to support value-added processing and further
processing of Georgia crops. He also renewed his commitment to support FoodPAC projects.
The meeting was hosted by the Georgia Agribusiness Council. Special thanks to Gary
Black for his organizational efforts. Seated left to right: Don Sims (FoodPAC Steering Committee member), State Representative Richard Royal, Gary Black (FoodPAC Executive Coordinator), Sammy Wright (FoodPAC Steering Committee Chairman)  Steering Committee Establishes FY 2001 Program Funding Plan At its August 24 meeting in Camilla, Georgia, the FoodPAC Steering Committee established the Funding Plan for FY 2001. The Committee agreed that it would submit to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget a FY 2001 request level similar to that received in FY 2000, i.e., $1.694 million in general funds and $600,000 in bond funds. Major Industry Subsector Research Priorities Identified As part of an effort to broaden the scope of FoodPAC-sponsored research projects, Steering Committee members have identified the top research priorities of major industry subsectors. A full list of these priorities as well as those of each FoodPAC Technical Committee will be issued in October as part of the Call for Proposals. Poultry: labor reduction, reduced water usage/improved wastewater treatment efficiency, defect detection, nonwhite meat usage Red Meat: alternative DAF skimmings recycling options, improved wastewater treatment technologies Seafood: water, labor availability (educated), HACCP training for small processors, workforce training (individual/basic skills), new product development, partner with universities but have proprietary research agreements, new processing technology (freezing, increase efficiency) Fruit & Vegetable: packaging, value-added products, compensation studies for farmers for nonharvested products (need some type of “clearinghouse”/waste exchange program for unused crops of farmers), further processing Peanuts: alphatoxin, allergies, water, on-line protein measurement to identify if cross-contamination between peanut and nonpeanut products is occurring FoodPAC Endorses UGA Applied Research, Outreach and Learning Facility At the August 24 Steering Committee meeting, FoodPAC gave its endorsement to an infrastructure improvement request by The University of Georgia campus in Athens. Dale Threadgill of UGA’s Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering is seeking state funding to help cover a portion of the cost for a 47,880 square foot Applied Research, Outreach and Learning Facility. The estimated total cost of the facility is $9.84 million. A conceptual design has been completed, and lists three core functions for the facility: applied research and technology development, outreach and technology transfer, discovery/inquiry-based learning. These three functions will be integrated throughout the facility to provide a collaborative environment for faculty engineers and scientists, industry partners and practicing engineers interfacing with graduate and undergraduate students. |
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Call for Proposals Format on the Web FoodPAC will be releasing
its Call for Proposals for FY 2001 in early October. The proposal format will also
be available on the Web at foodpac.gatech.edu. Project proposals are due February
2, Food Processor’s Environmental Forum The 1999 Georgia Food Processors’ Environmental Forum: Success and Environmental Compliance in Food Processing will be held Thursday, Sept. 23, at The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens. The Forum will answer questions related to environmental topics in the areas of air, water, and solid waste. Food processors will join state regulators, university researchers, and environmental consultants in this unique one-day forum. State regulators will give their overviews of current and emerging “hot” environmental issues facing food processors, while top university researchers and private consultants will provide details, tools, and programs on commonsense systems designed to meet the challenges of food safety programs and fiscal budgets. The Forum is co-sponsored by The University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, and Valdosta State University. For more information,
contact Brian Kiepper at (706) 542-6907 or visit the forum’s website at http://www.bae.uga.edu/outreach/getap/conference.html — Project Spotlight — On-Farm Processing Demonstration Research Center for Georgia Grown Vegetables Because few independent food manufacturers in the state use fresh ingredients, over half the yield of total vegetable crops targeted at the fresh market is either dumped in landfills or never even harvested. To answer this waste and economic issue, this FY 2000 project seeks to create a Farm Level Food Processing Center (FLFPC) in Lenox, Georgia. The FLFPC will use the excess yield from fresh market production as well as additional crops grown specifically for processing. Jalapeno, Bell, Habenaro, and Ancho peppers are the initial varieties to be grown and processed. Initial research began in June with work on the facility plan and process flow. Plant and site development is currently underway, and equipment is being sourced and costed. So far, lab work has centered on developing a brine solution for the finished product. Tests on pH, acidity, salt, and other ingredients were performed. Researchers are also working to standardize tests for “free” chlorine, and develop a procedure for testing pungency of the various peppers being used for the project. In addition, a sampling plan is being developed to establish critical criteria for the final product. This information will be used to set the parameters for the Certificate of Analysis that will accompany each container of finished product. Project team members include Estes Reynolds and William Hurst, UGA; Kenneth Rountree, Rountree Farm; Doug Horn, Oak Hill Farms, Inc.; and Stroup Ingredient Resources. Parts of this Project
Spotlight were excerpted from a Status Report submitted by Bob Budd, Oak Hill Farms,
Inc.
Remember… Submit comments and story ideas to Angela Colar, Editor at (404) 894-3412 or angela.colar@gtri.gatech.edu
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