Noting that the University had been addressing the topic of food safety over the last few years, she said they called upon the advice of others who were working in food safety and met with Continuing Education representatives to decide just what the training would entail. We had a lot of dedication, and it was a real team effort. It was designed for food service managers, chefs, caterers, cooks, health officials and inspectors. Wiker coordinated training for the Cooperative Extension agents who were going to be teaching the course. There is one family-living agent who is certified in each county.
Agents also answer many food-safety questions over the phone.
By late summer 1999, only about three months since the proposal had been approved for funding, the Food Safety subcommittee was ready to offer the pilot program, which enrolled students in fall 1999. The frenzied summer included doing a marketing plan, deciding what to teach and how to teach it, planning the budget, deciding how they would register students and how the course would be evaluated, compiling a mailing list and much more. Successful participants would earn 1.6 continuing education units. The group also sent out 6,000 brochures, which had been planned and designed as a joint effort by Continuing Education and Cooperative Extension professionals. The Continuing Education contacts we worked with were all very helpful in implementing the program.