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Digging in Soil Testing

Digging in Soil Testing to be held 2024-02-17 in Burlington.

To learn more, contact Nancy LaRowe at nancy@nofavt.org or 802-296-1883.  

UVM Center

Additional information:
It all starts in the soil. Healthy soils are the foundation of organic farming. Soil tests are an important tool for measuring soil health. Learn the basics of reading soil tests for nutrient management and hear from a panel of farmers about how testing informs strategies to achieve their soil health goals, water quality, and overall farm resilience. This vegetable production-focused workshop counts as One RAP Water Quality education credit. (need to confirm this)

 

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Mapping for Farm Resilience

Mapping for Farm Resilience to be held 2024-02-18 in Burlington.

To learn more, contact Nancy LaRowe at nancy@nofavt.org or 802-296-1883.  

Davis Center, UVM

Additional information:
In this deep dive workshop, commercial farmer participants will co-create with peers and technical advisors strategies to plan for climate resilience using your farm maps. We will discuss farm resilience planning using climate risk assessments, and prioritization tools to help choose from a suite of adaptation and mitigation practices. Using maps, farmers will identify areas of success and where problems exist on the farm. Together, the group will workshop holistic practices for a future that will include saturated soils, significant water events, droughts, and other impacts from a changing climate. Learn about the technical assistance and funding opportunities available to help you increase your farm, business, and community resilience. If you have one, please bring a map of your property or note on your registration your address and that you would like us to bring one. Leave with ideas and resources to take action and increase soil and ecosystem health by working with your soil type, texture, and topography.

 

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VT Directive 5740.2 COOPERATIVE INTERSTATE SHIPMENT (CIS) PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT APPLICATION PROCESS

This directive describes the application procedures for Vermont Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) program’s inspected establishments to apply for the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (program).
The CIS program allows selected establishments inspected by the MPI program to sell inspected meat and poultry products in commerce between any State, Territory or the District of Columbia.

VT Directive 5420.1 Rev 10 FOOD DEFENSE TASKS AND THREAT NOTIFICATION RESPONSE PROCEDURES FOR THE OFFICE OF FIELD OPERATIONS

This directive provides instructions to conduct food defense activities assigned to inspection program personnel (IPP) at meat and poultry establishments. Food defense activities include performing food defense tasks and observing and reporting food defense vulnerabilities.
IPP will no longer perform four food defense tasks per month, but instead will perform one comprehensive food defense task per quarter. These changes will improve efficiency for IPP and will enhance data quality by providing more specific data on food defense practices being implemented by establishments.

VT Directive 5220.3 Rev 1 ISSUANCE OF A TEN-DAY LETTER FOR INACTIVE OPERATIONS

This Directive sets out the actions that a State Director or designee may take with an establishment that is not operating or has not responded to the Meat Inspection Service (MIS) inspection personnel inquiries as to the establishment’s operations status and intentions. This procedure is provided as a tool that State Directors or designees may use to ensure that MIS resources are used as effectively and efficiently as possible. This directive also provides instructions to update the instructions concerning the Public Health Information System (PHIS).

VT Directive 5100.5 PUBLIC HEALTH REGULATIONS AND FSIS RESPONSE TO ELEVATED PUBLIC HEALTH REGULATION NONCOMPLIANCE RATES

This directive summarizes how FSIS determines the annual updated list of Public Health Regulations (PHRs). Based on FSIS data analysis, PHRs are associated with positive pathogen results or enforcement actions. PHR noncompliance rate data are used to inform as to when additional evaluation is necessary to assess an establishment’s operational and compliance history. This directive also instructs in-plant inspection program personnel (IPP) and the Meat Inspection Chief on how to respond to the Public Health Information System (PHIS) Early Warning Alerts. Finally, this directive provides information on when the Office is to schedule a Public Health Risk Evaluation (PHRE) to determine if a Food Safety Assessment (FSA) is necessary.
KEY POINTS:
• Each year, FSIS updates a list of PHRs, based on data analysis, to allow FSIS to focus on specific public health related regulations that may best inform FSA prioritization
• FSIS uses the PHR noncompliance rate data to determine cut points for a PHR Early Warning Alert and PHRE
• When IPP receive a PHR Early Warning Alert through PHIS, they are to review and evaluate the establishment’s noncompliance history, identify noncompliance trends, and work with their supervisors to determine what actions are necessary
• When the Office is informed by FSIS that an establishment met or exceeded the cut point for PHRE scheduling, the Office is to assign an Enforcement, Investigations and Analysis Officer (EIAO) to perform a PHRE to aid in determining whether a FSA is necessary
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