Food and Beverage Manufacturing Summit

Come learn, network, and get your questions answered at the first ever Food and Beverage Manufacturing Summit. The summit is a one-day educational forum focused on essential topics to grow or improve your business, hosted by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center and the Montana Department of Agriculture. It will take place in conjunction with the Montana Food and Beverage Show to make it easy for businesses to participate in one or both events.

You will learn directly from industry experts and government officials about key steps in developing a successful food business. Our program of workshops and speakers will cover the most frequently asked questions on packaging, labeling, fill control, process control, food safety, distribution, manufacturing efficiency, and more.

$25 for Registered Vendors - Montana Food and Beverage Show

Registration Coming Soon

$100 registration for the Summit ONLY on Tuesday, October 15

Registration Coming Soon

(Agenda topics subject to change based on availability of presenters, number of attendees, scheduling considerations, etc.)

1. LABELING: Covering the basics of FDA labeling requirements. What is required? What is optional? What are the resources available to assist me? Use by dates? Best by dates?
2. FILL CONTROL: How do I determine net weight? What are the requirements for meeting my declared (label) weight? How much under can I be? Over? How does the FDA regulate it?
3. TRACEABILITY: What is a good date code format? What production and packaging records should I generate? What about ingredients? Food contact packaging? Suppliers? Customers? What is a mock recall?
4. PROCESS CONTROL: What records do I need? How do I measure the critical values or limits in my process? What is an Operational Limit? How do I assure consistent quality and safety?
5. FOOD SAFETY SYSTEMS AND REQUIREMENTS: GMP’s. FDA. HACCP. Prerequisite programs. USDA. GFSI. BRC. SQF. Third Party audits. Preventive Controls. FSMA. Customer program requirements. What do I need? How does it all fit together?
6. IN-LINE FOOD SAFETY DEVICES: Operating principles of metal detectors. X-Ray machines. Which do I need? Magnets. Checkweighers. Filters. Sieves. Screeners. Vision systems.
7. HUMAN SAFETY PROGRAM: What should I have? Training? Records? OSHA requirements? MT State requirements? Workplace safety philosophy and standards.
8. 5S AND LEAN PRINCIPLES: How to stay clean and organized. How to get and stay efficient. The 8 wastes. D-O-W-N-T-I-M-E.
9. MT DEPT OF AG AND FADC NETWORK: An overview of the MT Food and Ag Development Centers program, including who they are, where they are, and how they can help.
10. DISTRIBUTION CONSIDERATIONS: Who are you selling to? Who do you want to sell to? Where are they? How will you get your product to them? How long will it take? Who will do it? What will it cost? How do they want it?
11. MANUFACTURING FINANCIALS: What are my costs? How much should I sell my product for? How much should I pay myself? What do I need to do to be profitable? Where are my opportunities? Are my costs in line with my industry?
12. SMART TALENT: How do I develop my employees? What is their career path? What jobs do I need? Who does what? Job descriptions? Raises? Promotions?
13. SANITATION/CLEANING CHEMICALS: What is the difference between sanitizing and disinfecting and sterilization? What chemicals should be used for what products/processes? How are they used? How often should I clean? How do I know if I am clean?
14. MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW: Whatever you’re doing, there’s a machine doing it somewhere. Product handling, cleaning, processing, and packaging equipment. An overview of what’s out there.
15. PACKAGING DECISIONS: What type of container? What material? Shelf-life considerations? Costs? Suppliers? Size? Automation possibilities? Case count? Pallet count?