CLFP held its 10th Annual Capitol on June 20 in Sacramento. Representatives from multiple CLFP processor member companies participated in the day-long event, which provides an opportunity for members to educate legislators about bills and issues of concern to the food processing industry.

CLFP will introduce a new format this year for its Fall Board of Directors Meeting, holding it the day prior to the Suppliers Host Council Golf (SHC) Tournament. The golf tournament helps raise funds for CLFP's scholarship program, and CLFP is asking members to contribute raffle items.

The students in the Engineering Department at U.C. Merced are required to develop an engineering capstone project as an integral part of their studies. The projects are generally done by teams and address real applied problems in a wide range of industries. Projects may involve students who specialize in mechanical and environmental engineering, material science or computer science. During the 2018-2019 academic year six student teams tackled engineering issues at food processing facilities.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a public meeting to discuss the agency's Nutrition Innovation Strategy. The meeting will be held on July 26 in Washington, D.C., and will be available via live webcast.

The California Community College System’s Agriculture and Natural Resources programs need your help setting priorities for education and training. In order for our Agricultural and Natural Resources programs to determine the needs of their communities, we must understand the needs of the industry by identifying important skills and jobs that are in short supply. We are conducting a survey of industry members and companies regarding hiring needs, important skills, and important industry areas of need. Your response to this survey is crucial in providing the necessary information to formulate useful courses, training opportunities and programs.

Nothing is more important to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) than keeping our customers and communities safe. Extreme weather events driven by climate change are causing unprecedented and unanticipated wildfires. We’ve already enhanced our efforts to reduce wildfire risks in response to this changing environment and the 2017 wildfires, and we are partnering now to do even more. Working with customers, community leaders and first responders, PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program includes additional precautionary measures intended to reduce wildfire threats and strengthen our communities for the future.

Cozen O'Connor is a full service firm that specializes in counseling food manufacturers, distributors and retailers about regulatory changes, labeling, and health and nutrient content issues.