If your club plans to lead any General Projects Food Preservation activities for the 2022-23 4-H Enrollment year, Washington State 4-H has begun requiring documentation that 4-H volunteers leading Food Preservation Projects have received the required training for this project area.
WSU Extension has a new online food preservation program, “Washington State 4-H Food Preservation Training,” It is a series of five online lessons for 4-H project leaders leading Food Preservation curriculum and activities. All 4-H Project Leaders leading Food Preservation projects and activities will need to have completed this training series to enroll.
The training series emphasizes best practices for food preservation and safety. This course will teach you the food preservation guidelines to be taught to 4-H members. Completion of at least 80% on the quizzes at the end of each session will qualify you to be a project leader in the food preservation projects in 4-H. It is designed for beginning and veteran canners who want to update their knowledge and skills. The lessons provide the most current USDA-approved food preservation recommendations. Topics include food safety, the basics of canning and information on specific food preservation methods, including pressure canning and boiling water bath canning, as well as making fruit spreads and pickled foods. A certificate of completion is provided at the end of the course.
To take the online course, visit Washington State 4-H Food Preservation Training to register for the series. To participate, you will need a computer with video and audio capability and have a stable internet connection. The training is free to 4-H Volunteers.
Once you have completed the training, please email your certificate to Jennifer Fees and Bob Kestell so we can make sure we have the required documentation and track it for future years. The documentation will be required of all 4-H members who enter any food preserved items at 4-H sponsored fairs or events in Washington State, plus we want to make sure everyone remains safe and healthy when preserving food.
For more information: https://extension.wsu.edu/4h/for-volunteers/volunteer-training/