GA Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) Georgia Tech

Food Safety Cohort Program

Food Safety Header-1

Apply Now Button

Download the Food Safety Cohort Program Flyer Button

Meet GaMEP's Food Safety Experts Button

Apply Today

Fill out the form below to be considered for the program. This program is limited to ten companies, per cohort.

The deadline to join the first cohort is July 23rd.

All onsite training sessions for this cohort will be held at the Georgia Tech Atlanta Campus.

Future cohorts will be scheduled for other locations around the state.

Food Safety Cohort Program

The Food Safety Cohort Program is designed to help food and beverage manufacturers comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA.) This cohort will bring together individuals from different companies, who are responsible for food safety and governmental compliance, for in-depth training and guidance from food safety experts. The goal is to support small food and beverage manufacturers to bring their food safety programs into compliance with recent changes in FDA regulations through a series of six 1-day sessions, held over the course of three months.

The program will allow companies to focus on the creation of a Food Safety Plan that will satisfy the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule. This regulation is a requirement for most food, beverage, and packaging companies that are registered with the FDA.

The Food Safety Cohort Program is being funded with a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Due to this funding, companies who apply and are accepted into the program, will receive the training, valued at approximately $12,000, at no cost.

Benefits of the program include:

  • Face-to-face training sessions.
  • Hands-on learning activities.
  • One-on-one coaching.

To qualify for the program, participating companies must:

  • Be a food, beverage, or packaging company that has registered with FDA.
  • Have a manufacturing NAICS code.
  • Have one participant which has completed an FSPCA Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) Class prior to attending the cohort training.
  • Be committed to attending training sessions every two weeks for a three month time period.

This training will:

  • Help companies avoid costly shut-downs and fines due to non-compliance with FSMA regulations.
  • Include hands-on guidance to understand Preventive Controls, HARPC, and create a Food Safety Program.
  • Offer instruction on support programs: good manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), training, auditing, recall, environmental monitoring program (EMP), allergen & foreign object management, supply chain control, and sanitation procedures, etc.

Dates and Agenda

To be completed prior to July 30th- Pre-assessment Survey or Visit (will be scheduled individually with your company)

July 30th- Onsite Training Session 1: Implementing Your Food Safety Program

August 13th- Onsite Training Session 2: Assessing Your Supply Chain Risk

August 29th- Onsite Training Session 3: Building Your Food Safety Plan I

September 9th- Onsite Training Session 4: Building Your Food Safety Plan II

September 24th- Onsite Training Session 5: Sustaining Your Food Safety Program

October 15th- Onsite Training Session 6: Supporting Programs

Each session will be followed by a One-On-One Coaching Call to be completed before the next session.

After the program has been completed, participating companies will be required to fill out a post-training survey.

Interested in learning more? Fill out the form below to find out if your company is eligible or contact Wendy White, GaMEP Project Manager – Food Safety & Quality.