CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) will be hosting a virtual Acidified Only Better Process Control School (BPCS) June 15-16. BPCS is a course that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as well as the United States Department of Agriculture for processors of acidified and low acid canned foods. There is no cost for the school, however, space is limited and will be on a first-come-first-serve basis to the first 40 students.

“Typically, these types of courses are held in-person and only a select few times throughout the year. Due to COVID, the USDA is allowing this course to be held virtually and at no cost to the producer. We encourage those who are interested in selling acidified foods to sign up for this opportunity,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt.

Producers who wish to sell acidified foods in retail settings must take a BPCS course. An acidified food (AF) is a low-acid food to which acid(s) or acid food(s) are added and which has a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or below and a water activity (aw) greater than 0.85.The school will be taught by Dr. Joseph E. Marcy, Department Head of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Registration will close on, Tuesday, June 1 at 4 p.m. on the link provided: https://agriculture.wv.gov/events/better-process-control-school/

Funds for this project were awarded to the WVDA through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service, 2019 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

For questions, contact Leslie Boggess at lboggess@wvda.us or 304-558-2210.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials who sits on the Board of Public Works.