The MWFPA News Bulletin is underwritten in part by Bug Blocker Doors & Screens
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You Need Effective Leaders In Your Workplace - Register Now To Achieve Results Through Leadership
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It is important that you have effective leaders in your workplace to empower and influence your people to achieve business and team goals. Developing leadership skills can not only provide important business proficiencies and aid professional development but also help develop interpersonal skills.
On February 22, 2018 the Midwest Food Products Association is once again hosting the training seminar,
Achieve Results Through Leadership. The program will be held in the lower conference room of the MWFPA offices, 4600 American Parkway, Madison, WI
The workshop is intended for managers and supervisors who are responsible for the performance and productivity of employees and coworkers.
This seminar is recommended by the MWFPA Human Resources Committee and encourages you to consider attending or sending your managers and future managers!
Register Now!
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Rauner Urges IL Pension Changes, Other Reforms
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IL Gov. Bruce Rauner
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Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiled his fiscal 2019 budget yesterday, a $37.96 billion blueprint calling for reforms to help get IL back on track.
Rauner stressed having school districts share teacher pension costs, getting a handle on state employee health insurance, and various other reforms.
Besides again advocating for an overhaul of employee pensions, Rauner told lawmakers during his address to the Legislature that he wants to shift retirement costs to local school districts and dictate health insurance benefits for state workers. Read more at the MWFPA website
blog.
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IL Dems Introduce Workers' Comp Bills
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IL House Democrats have again introduced two pieces of legislation regarding workers' compensation.
The first bill (
HB 4432
) sponsored by Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville) requires rate regulation by the state which would approve insurance rates before putting them into use. Additionally, the legislation would create a new drug formulary to manage pharmaceutical costs.
The other bill, introduced by Rep. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) would take ten million dollars of employer funds to help create a state fund that would help create a state-run competitor in the insurance marketplace.
HB 4595
is identical to legislation that passed the General Assembly last year and was vetoed by Gov. Rauner. IL has been designated as a competitive insurance marketplace with more than three hundred insurance companies competing for business.
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House Passes Menu Labeling
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The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a
bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that would reduce nutrition- and calorie-labeling requirements on menus and bar civil liability for any restaurant or retail food establishment accused of violating the law's requirements.
The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act would allow restaurants to use average calorie counts or ranges on menus instead of exact counts and would permit online-only calorie disclosures.
The bill would permit "reasonable-basis" disclosures that allow for variations in serving sizes, human error in preparation or variations in ingredients. It would also allow restaurants to decide whether to disclose content for a whole item or on a per-serving basis.
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U.S. Making Headway On NAFTA Says Trade Rep
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 The U.S. is making "headway" in its efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade agreement (NAFTA), according to Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
Meeting with the president and a bipartisan group of lawmakers at the White House this week, he downplayed the likelihood of a U.S. withdrawal. Talks are going well, "particularly with the Mexicans," he said.
In an effort to make our membership's voice heard, MWFPA has joined the Wisconsin chapter of the Americans for Farmers and Families (AFF), a coalition of over 70 growers, producers, suppliers, transporters, retailers and consumers dedicated to preserving and modernizing NAFTA.
Maintaining a healthy relationship with Mexico and Canada is vitally important to food manufacturers in the Midwest.
In 2017, MN, WI and IL accounted for over $1.1 billion in processed food exports to Mexico and more than $2.7 billion to Canada. Export numbers such as these reflect increased jobs through the generation of new business for Midwest food manufacturers
Other organizations involved with AFF include the
American Dairy Association, Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, Cooperative Network, the Wisconsin State Cranberry Association and Wisconsin Corn Growers Association.
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Feeding America - How You Can Help
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T
ony Mans, Senior Accounts Manager for Feeding America located in Chicago, IL, recently addressed the MWFPA Human Resource Committee about the benefits to employers and employee of participating in local food banks.
For more information on how to help, contact Tony Mans with Feeding America or the representative from each of the food banks, click here.
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MWFPA Scholarships Available - First Deadline March 2nd
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 The application deadline for MWFPA Scholarships is March 2, 2018.
The scholarship may award up to $2,000 (depending on availability of funds) in funds to deserving children of parents or guardians who are employees of MWFPA member companies. They must also be a high school senior or post-secondary student accepted into, or attending, any post-secondary school in the United States.
Undergraduate students attending, or planning to attend, UW Madison, Platteville or River Falls are eligible for
Friday/Weckel scholarships. Applications are due by April 27, 2018.
Information and applications can be downloaded from the MWFPA
website, or by contacting Brian Elliott at:
[email protected], or by calling 608-255-9946.
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Save the Date - MWFPA Spring Summit & Scramble
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 Save the date for MWFPA's Spring Summit & Scramble set for May 30-31, 2018 at Trappers Turn Golf Club in Wisconsin Dells, WI.
It's never too early to think spring and the MWFPA Spring Summit & Scramble. Plan now to join us for our annual association business and networking event. Look for more information coming soon to our website and social media outlets.
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MWFPA Members Invited To Attend Manufacturing Matters, March 8 At $50 Discount
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If you're not already one of the nearly 400 manufacturing professionals signed up to attend Manufacturing Matters!, please consider this your invitation.
Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership's Manufacturing Matters! 2018 (MM18) conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee on March 1st, 2018 with pre-conference programming presented on February 28th.
MWFPA is proud to offer an exclusive discount of $50 off the price of this event. Just enter the code: MFPA50MM when registering.
Eighteen breakout sessions are available to choose from with three sessions in each of the following six conference tracks:
- Growth & Innovation: Positioning your Company for Growth - Exporting - Sales Growth
- Productivity: Employer Sustainability Reporting - Transformational Productivity - Automation
- Workforce Engagement: Recruiting - Retention - Leadership Development
- C-Suite Essentials: Increasing Company Value - Foxconn Impact - Financing Manufacturing
- Technology: Cyber Security - Manufacturing Technology Trends
- Wisconsin Industry Focus: State Initiatives - Impacts of Tax Change - State Workforce
WI Gov. Scott Walker has been invited to address the conference and collaborative robotics expert Matt Fitzgerald, from Rethink Robotics will be the keynote speaker.
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MWFPA Partners In PACK EXPO East
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 MWFPA is again partnering with PACKEXPO East (April 16-18, 2018, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA), produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
PACKEXPO East is a prominent packaging trade show, based in Philadelphia, to be held every other year, bringing together professionals from various sectors, interested in packaging equipment, machinery, materials, containers and automation technologies. Expected this year are over 400 exhibitors and more than 6,000 attendees.
MWFPA joins the official Partner Program, brings leading associations together with a common dedication to advancing the industry, while serving as invaluable resources connecting exhibitors and attendees before, during and after the show.
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MWFPA Board & Committee Calendar
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MWFPA Raw Products Committee: Wed., March 14, 2018. 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., lower conference room at 4600 American Parkway, Madison, WI,
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MWFPA Events You Won't Want To Miss
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February 22, 2018: Achieve Results Through Leadership. MWFPA offices - 4600 American Parkway, Madison, WI.
May 30 - 31, 2018: MWFPA Spring Summit & Scramble.Trappers Turn Golf Course, Wisconsin Dells, WI
October 11, 2018: MWFPA Sporting Clay Challenge.Caribou Gun Club, 30649 380th Street, Le Sueur, MN.
November 27 - 29, 2018: MWFPA 114th Annual Convention and 91st Processing Crops Conference. Kalhari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells, WI.
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Other Educational Opportunities
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February 21, 2018:
Acidified Foods Training for Entrepreneurs and Food Processors. University of Minnesota St. Paul Student Center, 2017 Buford Ave., St. Paul, MN, Room 202. The University of Minnesota Food Science & Nutrition Dept. is providing a 1 day workshop providing certification to supervisors of thermally processed acidified food facilities. The workshop will be Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 8:30 AM - 4 PM at the St. Paul Campus. Register now:
https://events.umn.edu/Online/article/event_b/504A42D9-555D-4F05-A1BF-3A84619D063C).
February 22, 2018: Building Effective Employee Retention Programs
. A free one-hour WI Manufacturing Extension Partnership webinar presented by Thomas O'Rourke on Thursday, Feb. 22nd at 11:00 will explore workforce challenges. The webinar will focus on actions your organization can take to evaluate and increase employee retention.
February 23, 2018: Beyond the Basics - Trending Topics in Food Safety. Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. Edina, MN. This conference sponsored by the Food & Consumer Science Professionals will be of interest to anyone who puts food in the hands of consumers by way of manufacturing, preparing or selling AND is concerned about ensuring they are providing a safe food supply. Continuing education hours have been approved for a number of professions that require regular updates on food safety, sanitation, labelling, food fraud and avoiding lawsuits. The keynote speaker for this event is Dr. Michael Osterholm. For more information, click
here.
February 28, 2018:
WMC Business Day in Madison.
Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center, Madison, WI. Click
here
for more information.
February 28, 2018:
2018 Food Energy Forum.
Miron Corporate Office, 1471 McMahon Drive, Neenah, WI.
Co-sponsored by the Focus on Energy, the Midwest Food Products Association and Miron Corporation. The purpose of the forum is to introduce food manufacturers to energy saving processes and to programs at Focus on Energy to help achieve energy saving goals.
The Forum is free to food processors and students and for a small fee to vendors and contractors. Space is limited so act soon. Please complete the registration form and send it to Chris Wolslegel at (920) 886-7405 or at [email protected]
March 8, 2018:
Manufacturing Matters! Hyatt Regency, 333 W.
Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI. The Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership presents
Taking Charge of Change with 18 sessions, 6 tracks and over 30 speakers. See article above for more details. For more information and registration, click here.
April 10, 2018:
HTST Pasteurizer Operation and Procedures, Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 Bluemound Dr., Appleton, WI. Registration fee is $100 (includes continental breakfast, lunch and breaks). Register online and download course materials
here.
April 16 - 18, 2018:
PACK EXPO East, Pennsylvania Convention Center,
Philadelphia, PA. Produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
MWFPA joins the official Partner Program. For more information or to register, go to:
https://www.packexpoeast.com/.
April 23-26, 2018:
Midwest Better Process Control School.
University of WI Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI. 7:30 am - 5:00 pm, April 23-25, and 7:30 - noon, April 26. The Better Process Control School provides the food industry with qualified personnel to meet FDA and USDA regulations under 21 CFR 113 and 114.
All processing of thermally processed low-acid or acidified foods which are packaged in hermetically-sealed containers must have certain critical operations supervised by a qualified person.
Registration, course information and a link to online registration is here: https://foodsafety.wisc.edu. Registrations are now being accepted. Early registration deadline is Monday, April 9.
Please contact Dr. Barbara Ingham, University of Wisconsin, with questions: [email protected]
September 30 - October 2, 2018:
10th Annual Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit, Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis, MN.
Register
by June 30, 2018 to receive an early bird rate of $800! Click here to register.
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Check Out MWFPA's Customized Property & Casualty Insurance For Members Only
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The Midwest Food Products Association is pleased to announce that
its members now have access to an exclusive insurance program that is written specifically for our industry. With assistance from the risk management firm Hays Companies, this program offers a customized Property and Casualty insurance program.
The program offers a complete insurance program for all business types, from processor to manufacturers, logistics to wholesaler and anything in between. No market segment is excluded, and no organization is too large or too small.
Learn more about what the MWFPA Insurance Program can do for you by visiting the program's website:
https://mwfpa.haysprograms.com/.
For more information about the program, contact: Brad Van Swol at:Email:
[email protected]; Phone: (414) 290-3581
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