Ten LSU AgCenter faculty members were part of a multi-state team that received the 1st Place National and Southern Region Program Excellence through Research Award at the Galaxy III National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) conference held Sept. 15-19 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Beth Reames, extension nutritionist, was the leader of the team recognized for its tri-state research study that tested the effectiveness of the "Serving Food Safely" food safety curriculum to increase knowledge and promote safe food-handling practices of staff and volunteers of food recovery agencies.
Team members included family and consumer science extension agents Alexis Navarro, Bertina McGhee, Sally Soileau, Terri Crawford, Sheila Haynes and Berteal Rogers. Other members were David Bankston, professor in the Department of Food Science; Mike Keenan, associate professor, and Georgianna Tuuri, assistant professor, in the School of Human Ecology. Other team members were De’Shoin Y. Friendship at Southern University, Melissa Mixon at Mississippi State University and Easter Tucker at the University of Arkansas.
Results indicated that knowledge and adoption of recommended food safety practices increased for both staff and volunteers participating in the workshops. The Program Excellence through Research Award cited the team’s commitment to meeting the needs of individuals, families and communities.
Linda Foster Benedict
(This article appeared in the fall 2008 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.) |