Sorry we missed you at the webinar this week!  We know schedules get busy, fortunately you have another opportunity to attend our free 8 Easy Steps for Maximizing Training ROI webinar. We had a great turn out last week and hope for the same during this presentation. A lot of company training issues were addressed, and we were happy to be there to help! There is a simple solution to any learning and development challenge your company might be facing. Learn more by attending our webinar: The eight components of an effective learning and development system an approach that’ll lead to performance improvement; increased productivity; increased employee engagement, etc. an effective way to do Level 3 measurement of your soft skills training Once again, during this free web presention you will get a first-look at Russell Associates’ NEWEST service, TotalTrain™ Blended Learning Solutions (TTBLS)! We are pleased to introduce TTBLS, and add it to our list of innovative products and solutions. We hope to see you there… Register Now!

Recently, I found an article on Linked In and felt compelled to share. The article is written by editor in chief, Lara Sowinski, of Food Logistics Magazine. It is a great article referring to a list of items that auditors will examine during inspections. As we all know, food safety audits of all types are on the rise – especially after the effect the FSMA has taken on the food industry. Read the article here. However, there is a simple solution. Our solution is inspectiTRAC™. Russell Associates’ automated inspection system is the solution for companies like yours to prepare for audits by establishing internal inspections!

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Recently, I found an article on Linked In and felt compelled to share. The article is written by editor in chief, Lara Sowinski, of Food Logistics Magazine. It is a great article referring to a list of items that auditors will examine during inspections. As we all know, food safety audits of all types are on the rise – especially after the effect the FSMA has taken on the food industry. Read the article here. However, there is a simple solution. Our solution is inspectiTRAC™. Russell Associates’ automated inspection system is the solution for companies like yours to prepare for audits by establishing internal inspections!        

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Managing the safety and inspection process at any level can be a challenge.  But what if there was a system that could automate and mobilize the safety inspection process and eliminate errors?  And, wouldn’t it be great if it could be customized to your locations, systems, equipment and personnel? Well, there is such a system – it’s inspectiTRAC™! We invite you to join us in this web presentation, a great way to learn more about inspectiTRAC™. Just a click away, you can see how it works and learn how our new automated inspection softwaer can benefit you, your company, and your employees. Click here to register, today! Webinar Objectives: inspectiTRAC™ – What it is Why inspectiTRAC™ How it Works Benefits of Automated Inspections Cost/Benefit Analysis  

You may notice a logo on many plastic water bottles, pitchers, baby bottles, pacifiers, and silverware – “BPA Free” it reads. But what does this mean, and why do so many vendors, consumers, and retailers migrate towards products stating they are BPA free? Take a look at this article to find out why the National Resources Defense Council has petitioned the FDA to ban BPA as a food additive since 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46908536/ns/health-food_safety/#.T4SUv9UoskY While studies continue, more and more food safety concerns will be debated. Don’t put the importance of food safety in your company on hold. Provide your employees with the right training tools to make food safety a top priority, take a step with SafeTrain™.

So, you work in the food industry? But, how much do you really know about food? Take a look at some fascinating facts we found about food! The most expensive coffee in the world comes from civet (a cat sized mammal) poo – Selling mainly in the United States and Japan for $120-$600 USD per pound. The first soup was made of hippopotamus.   Refried beans are only fried once – frijoles refritos actually means “well friend beans,” not re-fried. The FDA allow you to sell bugs and rodent hairs for consumption. Dynamite is commonly made with peanuts. The popsicle was accidentally invented by an 11 year old in 1905. However, 18 years later he patented it as the “popsicle.” The banana plant can grow as high as 20 feet tall – That’s as high as a two-story house. Each man, woman, and child in America eats an average of 46 slices (23 pounds) of pizza a year There are 7,000 varieties of apples grown in the world. The potato was the first vegetable to be successfully grown in space. An apple, when fresh, is made up of about 25% air. Maine represents almost 90% of the nation’s lobster supply (40 million pounds annually), as well as producing almost all of the nation’s wild blueberries. The amount of fields devoted to growing beans in MN would fill 110,000 football fields. The largest squash to record grown weighed 962 pounds, which is the size of a baby elephant. Resources: http://listverse.com/2007/12/17/top-10-incredible-food-facts/  http://www.agday.org/education/fun_facts.php http://www.cookwithjohn.com/FUN_FOOD_FACTS.html  http://www.health.state.mn.us/schools/greattrays/pdfs/FunFoodFacts.pdf

Russell Associate‘s President and CEO, Jerry Van Oort, will be on this years panel for the Food Safety Audit panel discussion as part of the 2012 Food Safety Exchange, in Chicago, Ill. This is a great opportunity to get tips and advice through an educational session led by experts in the food industry! The conference is scheduled for June 26-27 at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare. At this FREE two-day educational event, food processors, retailers, auditors, standards owner, trade organizations and other food safety experts from the midwest and beyond are welcomed to learn and network within the new food safety regulatory enviroment. Click Here for your FREE registration for this event. We hope to see you there.

Are you in the food industry? How did you get here and why? Have you ever thought about the depth and knowledge of food safety others have when entering this industry? In this article, director of food safety solutions at DNV Business Assurance, Kathleen Wybourn, states a valid point about the lack of education offered to a generation where food safety is a major concern. http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/On-your-radar/HACCP/Back-to-basics-to-tackle-coming-shortage-of-food-safety-auditors While gaining the young and inspired may be a challenge, continue to be aware of the content you are delivering your employees and safe behaviors are being conducted. When it comes to training, SafeTrain™ food safety courses may be just what your company needs. Don’t forget to check out our newest automated inspection system – inspectiTRAC™! Think safety, think training, think job skills.

Lean finely textured beef, also claiming the infamous name of “Pink Slime,” has http://www.cprw.com/wp-content/themes/gazette/cheap-essay-writing-service-uk.html surely claimed its fame in the food industry. http://vva.org/blog/?p=3069 The dispute whether this beef is nutritious, has apparent advantages, or if it is just downright “gross” is your own decision. What I found different about this particular article is that it goes beyond the media hype by pointing out the fact that there clearly is a lesson to be learned from “Pink Slime.” Follow the link to read more. http://www.foodqualitynews.com/Public-Concerns/Pink-slime-Safe-nutritious-and-icky

Russell Associates President and CEO, Jerry Van Oort will be on the Food Safety Audit panel next week at the Mettler Toledo 2012 Food Safety Exchange. This will take place at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare, in Chicago, Ill and is a FREE two-day event (June 26-27) you won’t want to miss. Experience educational discussion sessions and panels on multiple topics involving safety in the food environment. Who Should Attend: •  Food Processors, Manufacturers & Packagers •  Food Retailers •  Food Service Companies •  Food Importers & Exporters Job Functions:•  Quality Assurance & Quality Control, Food Safety •  Operations, Production & Manufacturing •  Engineering •  Plant Management •  Corporate Management Click Here for your FREE registration form for this event. We hope to see you there!