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Michigan will house national food safety center

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A Michigan institute will serve as the home of the new National Coordination Center for Food Safety Training.

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee, says the International Food Protection Training Institute in Battle Creek, in Southwest Michigan, will serve as the national center.

The USDA and FDA have established a grant program to fund the national center and four regional training facilities to help to train farmers about safety standards required by the Food Safety Modernization Act.

“Small businesses, our small growers, producers—it’s really an opportunity to have some support and technical assistance as the new quality standards are phased in over the next few years.”

Stabenow tells Brownfield Michigan is an ideal location for the center because of its diversity of specialty crops and food processing facilities throughout the state.  “We really in Michigan have amazing expertise in every single part of the food chain and food issues.”

She says the announcement means more funding and local jobs as well as more coordination with regional food safety centers.  The institute will oversee development and implementation of food safety training programs for small farmers and businesses across the country.

AUDIO: Interview with Senator Debbie Stabenow (4:59 mp3):

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