Purdue University Extension’s Shell Egg Academy (SEA) has returned to in-person for 2022, based on feedback from the SEA Planning Committee and participant survey results.
SEA will be held in West Lafayette, Indiana (United States) on April 26-28, 2022 and will provide interactive class sessions on egg quality and food safety for farmers and egg companies producing and processing table eggs. Interested participants can register here beginning January 24th.
The class has been divided into a three-day schedule and will offer training on food safety, sanitation, food borne illness outbreaks, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Egg Rule, egg quality impacts and table egg industry trends from a consumer perspective.
According to SEA’s website, the class will feature “a combination of interactive classroom experiences taught by expert speakers, and hands-on learning, participants are provided the latest information on egg quality and egg safety.”
After each class is complete, participants will take an exam to obtain a competency certificate.
“The 2021 Shell Egg Academy’s virtual edition provided a high level of information and interaction for participants seeking to further their knowledge about egg quality and egg safety,” stated Dr. Darrin Karcher, SEA founder and Associate Professor and Poultry Extension Specialist at Purdue University.
“We’re excited to build upon this success and provide this redesigned learning opportunity to fit the needs of the egg industry in 2022.”
The university believes that SEA will give industry participants plenty of networking opportunities with Purdue animal science students and faculty. Additionally, companies are able to purchase sponsorships at multiple price points in support of the egg industry.
Questions about the class should be directed to Dr. Darrin Karcher at [email protected]. To be added to the SEA’s email list to receive new information when available and registration opens, please email [email protected] or call 763-284-6763.
Other initiatives by Purdue
In July 2021, Purdue University released a YouTube series reviewing pre-op inspection in shell egg plants. The series details the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) preoperational inspection standards throughout the process steps of a shell egg plant and why they’re important.
The full egg sanitation series is available on Purdue Extension’s YouTube channel and comprises 12 videos including an introduction and a detailed explanation of inspection at the farm belt, accumulator, washer, sanitizer, dryer, quality detection system, egg removal system, transfer system, carriage system and both upper and lower portions of the packer.
