UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Pennsylvania food processors and agricultural producers can learn to prevent and deter terrorist acts against the food supply by attending an upcoming training course, "Agricultural and Food Vulnerability Assessment Training." Offered through Penn State Cooperative Extension, the program will be conducted by U.S. Department of Homeland Security-certified trainers.

The 2-1/2-day course will be held at Penn State Hazleton campus Nov. 15-17; and at the Holiday Inn Lancaster County in Denver, Pa., from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

"Agriculture and Food Vulnerability Assessment Training" will focus on protecting the food supply from intentional contamination by terrorists using chemicals, biological or other harmful agents. The course is intended for food processors, agricultural producers and other industry professionals; federal, state, county and local officials; cooperative extension educators and specialists; law enforcement personnel and others involved with food and agriculture security planning. Enrollment is limited to United States citizens.

The course will use hands-on training and actual case studies to stimulate discussion and learning. Instructors will introduce the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s new CARVER + Shock vulnerability assessment methodologies that are used to evaluate food operations and determine vulnerabilities to terrorist activities.

Utilizing the course information, participants can assess their own operations, determine inherent vulnerabilities, and then identify and implement measures to strengthen the security of their operations and improve the safety of the food supply.

Course materials and instructors are funded through the Department of Homeland Security. Cosponsors include Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, the Central Pennsylvania Food Processing Industry Partnership, the Montgomery County Food Processing Partnership, the Northeast Pennsylvania Food Processing Industry Partnership, the South Central Pennsylvania Food Manufacturers’ Consortium, the Central Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board, the Lancaster Workforce Investment Board and the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board.

A registration fee of $99 includes lunch and refreshments. Registration fees for representatives of nonprofit organizations is $49 (applicants must supply a tax-exempt number). This training is restricted to U.S. citizens. Class size is limited to 60 registrants, and registration deadlines are Nov. 1 for the Hazleton course and Nov. 15 for the Lancaster course. Registration forms are available online at www.foodsafety.psu.edu.

For additional information about the courses, contact Janet Rosenbaum of Penn State Wilkes-Barre Continuing Education at 570-675-9102 or by e-mail at vjohnson@psu.edu. Additional information on food defense is available online at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/defterr.html.

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EDITORS: Contact Janet Rosenbaum at 570-675-9102, or by e-mail at jqr8@psu.edu

Writer-Editor: Gary Abdullah 814-863-2708 gxa2@psu.edu