YOUR ASSOCIATION
NEHA NEWS
NEHA CP-FS Study Materials Now Available in Print and Electronic Versions The NEHA Certified Professional– Food Safety (CP-FS) Study Guide (4th ed.) was updated in 2022 to the cur- rent FDA Food Code and includes information and requirements from the Food Safety Modernization Act. It was developed by retail profes- sionals to help prepare candidates for the NEHA CP-FS credential exam with in-depth content, an examination blueprint, practice test, and many helpful appendices. The study guide is the go-to resource for students of food safety and food safety professionals in both regulatory agencies and industry. A CP-FS is an individual who possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure safe food in any retail environment as a quality assurance or quality control manager, facility manager, food-safe chemical supplier, or regulatory inspector/investigator. The CP-FS credential is well respected throughout the industry and is highly valued by employers when hiring food safety professionals. We are excited to announce that the CP-FS Study Guide is now available in paperback and electronic versions. The e-book can be purchased via Google Play Books at $199 for members and $229 for nonmembers. NEHA members can access the discounted rate by adding the CP-FS Study Guide e-book to their cart in our book- store and checking out to receive a promo code via email that allows them to purchase the book via Google Play at the members- only price. We also oer over 195 flash cards to quiz you on the information presented in the CP-FS credential exam. Flash cards are strategically designed to enhance and encourage active recall and we have updated our flash cards to include pictures to help jog your memory as you study. You can now purchase the flash cards from our bookstore in either print or electronic versions. Both are available for $24.99. Learn more about the CP-FS credential and our study resources at www.neha.org/cpfs-credential. Nearly 2,500 Food Safety Experts Shared Their Needs In early 2022 we launched a one-of-a-kind comprehensive national census—the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Training Needs Assess- ment—to identify strengths and knowledge gaps in the retail food safety regulatory community to better direct scarce training and education resources and identify where training should be devel- oped or modified. Specifically, we aimed to: • Determine the degree of exposure retail food regulatory profes- sionals have to key content knowledge areas. • Discover strengths and gaps between exposure to content and the working needs of the regulatory community.
We are pleased to report that we had an excellent response rate and received 2,443 qualified survey responses representing the reg- ulatory workforce from across the regulatory community, as well as at dierent jurisdiction levels (Table 1).
TABLE 1
Jurisdictions of Survey Respondents From the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Training Needs Assessment ( N = 2,443)
Jurisdiction
Respondents # (%)
Federal
54 (2.2)
State Local Tribal
473 (19.4) 1,862 (76.2)
37 (1.5)
U.S. Territory
9 (0.4)
The complete survey findings will be shared this summer and will be used to help bolster educational resources, reduce knowledge gaps in the profession, and improve overall work- force capabilities. Thank you to every retail food safety professional who partici- pated. The honest and thorough feedback we received showcases the commitment of our workforce to the future of regulatory retail food safety. To learn more about the assessment and to check back for find- ings this summer, visit our needs assessment webpage at www. neha.org/retail-grants-needs-assessment. NEHA Sta Profile As part of tradition, we feature new sta members in the Journal around the time of their 1-year anniversary. These profiles give you an opportunity to get to know our sta better and to learn more about the great programs and activities going on in your associa- tion. This month we are pleased to introduce you to one NEHA sta member. Contact information for all NEHA sta can be found on pages 50 and 51. Chintan Somaiya
I joined NEHA in March 2022 as a senior project coordinator to manage and support the NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model (RFFM) Grant Program. The FDA Voluntary Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards apply to the operation and management of a retail food regulatory program that is focused on the reduction of risk fac-
tors known to cause or contribute to foodborne illness and to the promotion of active managerial control of these risk factors. My
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Volume 85 • Number 7
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