PEQAP Education and Certification Training

Certification training is offered annually for PA producers and processors to train and certify program participants. Training includes a one and one-half hour training session, a notebook with PowerPoint presentation handouts, and supplementary appendix materials for further understanding and reference.

• The Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP)

• 2007 PEQAP Education Training Session Presentation

• PEQAP Producer/Processor Training and Certification - March 22, 2007. This is a make-up session for those who missed the January training and will be the last formal training for producers/processors offered in 2007. See the registration information.

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The Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program

The Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP) is a voluntary industry program intended to minimize Salmonella enteritidis (SE) contamination of chicken eggs. Although the program does not guarantee shell eggs to be free of SE contamination, the program does assure consumers of the commitment producers and processors are making to prevent SE contamination. Basic preventive measures include placement of SE clean chicks, intensive rodent control, cleaning and disinfecting between flocks, and environmental monitoring of pullet and layer houses with continuous testing of eggs from any SE positive houses. Eggs from SE positive houses are diverted for pasteurization. Eggs must be kept refrigerated. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture provides third party monitoring of the program as well as technical, administrative, and financial support. The Pennsylvania Department of Health provides technical advice regarding public health implications. PEQAP participants are assuring the public that they are taking every reasonable precaution to assure the safety of their eggs.

Sponsored by
PennAg Industries Poultry Council
(717) 651-5920
Email: pennag@pennag.com
Web Site: www.pennag.com

Supported by
The Pennsylvania State University
University of Pennsylvania
PA Department of Agriculture
PA Department of Health
PA Animal Health Commission

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2007 PEQAP Education Training Presentations

Education training and certification is a part of participation with the PEQAP program. 

Producer/Processor training is for egg producers, processors, and those responsible for rodent control and house cleaning and disinfection. Technician training is for those who take chick box paper swabs, pullet or hen house environmental samples, and egg samples to submit them to PDA.

The following PowerPoint slide sets and references are available on-line for review to anyone for educational purposes. However, certification requires on-site training administered by the PEQAP Education Committee and PennAg Industries Poultry Council.

PEQAP Producer/Processor Training

Introduction to Food Safety, Salmonella enteritidis (Se), and PEQAP
Paul Patterson , The Pennsylvania State University

 PEQAP – Maintaining Compliance
Nan Hanshaw-Roberts, PA Department of Agriculture

PEQAP Inspections
Kim Kennedy, PA Department of Agriculture

Rodent Control
Appendix - Commercial Rodenticides
Greg Martin, The Pennsylvania State University

Cleaning and Disinfection (C&D) of House
Eric Gingerich, New Bolton Center Poultry Lab

PEQAP Plant Sanitation and Egg Processing Requirements
Kim Miller, PA Department of Agriculture

Administrative Issues
Chris Herr, PennAg Industries Association

PEQAP Technician Training (those presentations that differ from producer training)

Introduction
Paul Patterson , The Pennsylvania State University

PEQAP Sample Collection
   A. Pullet Chick Paper Swabs
   B. Pullet and Hen House Environmental Swabs
   C. Egg Sampling When Environmental Positive
Eric Gingerich, New Bolton Center Poultry Lab
Kim Kennedy, PA Department of Agriculture

Appendices

Memo of Understanding
The Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is the cooperative agreement signed by PennAg Industry Association Poultry Council, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDH). The MOU contains a description of PEQAP, its purpose, program administration, participation and program requirements. It contains procedures by which the PDH and PDA can jointly assure that eggs from PEQAP flocks and premises linked with egg-associated Salmonella enteritidis (SE) contamination are reasonably safe for human consumption. And it contains protocols for investigation and control of SE associated with Pennsylvania eggs.

Protocol for Sampling Chick Box Papers
Protocol for Collecting Manure Samples
Protocol for Nest Run Egg Sample Collection
Protocol for Handling of Environmental and Egg Samples after Collection
Protocol for Dry Cleaning and Disinfection/Fumigation