HUGHESVILLE, Md. – The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, (SMADC), a division of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, is partnering with the Maryland Department of Agriculture to offer an Acidified Foods Better Process Control School (BPCS) training workshop on March 11, 2024.
Unlock the potential of pickled products and grow your small business; this FDA-certified BPCS training workshop is designed for farmers, producers, and small food entrepreneurs looking to expand their product inventory. Not just training, it’s an opportunity to understand the basics of food safety and the regulatory norms and procedures for acidified foods.
Who needs this training and why? BPCS training is required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) for all processors (farmers/on-farm, large and small food entrepreneurs) who want to make and sell acidified food products in Maryland. BPCS helps assure the safety and quality of shelf-stable, thermally (heat) processed acidified foods which typically include a variety of vegetable pickles such as pickled beets and cucumbers and many types of sauces, condiments, dressings, chutneys and relishes.
Developed and presented by class instructor Dr. Y. Martin Lo, Process Authority and Ambassador of the International Union of Food Science & Technology, the BPCS training workshop will be held in-person and simultaneously via live webinar on Monday, March 11, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The in-person workshop will take place at Maryland Department of Agriculture located at 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401. The workshop fee of $180.00 includes class materials. If attending in-person, refreshments and a boxed lunch are included in the fee. In-person attendance is recommended.
A reimbursement scholarship towards half the BPCS workshop fee ($90) is available to farmers resident and farming in Southern Maryland (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s and Prince George’s) who have successfully completed the training; scholarship details will be provided to attendees.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER or visit ‘News & Events’ at SMADC.com. Registration closes March 7, 2024. For workshop registration assistance, questions, and scholarship application details email: info@smadc.com.