2024 Fall Retail Food Newsletter

Rock County, Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 11/05/2024 10:00 AM CST

2025 Facility License Category Changes

Please be aware there will be significant changes to retail food licensing categories starting in 2025. The purpose is to align our permit classification system with state administrative codes. Categories will be based on a standardized criteria developed by DATCP. Your 2025-2026 retail food permit may reflect a different category than listed on your current license and some establishments may also see a decrease or increase in their typical fees.

Note for existing licensed establishments:

This change will not take affect until the start of the 2025-2026 licensing year, which begins on July 1, 2025. Any category or fee changes will be reflected on spring renewal notices.

Certified Food Protection Manager Requirements

The WI Food Code requires licensed food facilities to have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) on staff. Only prepackaged and temporary establishments are exempt from this requirement. CFPMs play an important role in a facility's food safety culture. Although not required to be present during all operation hours, they are responsible for ensuring staff are properly trained and processes comply with food safety standards.

Requirements

CFPMs must take a course and pass an exam from an approved training provider.
Certificates must be posted in public view.
Renewal is required every 5 years by either retaking the course or completing a Small Operator course, if eligible.

2025 Enforcement

In recent years, a significant number of food establishments have been found to be operating without a CFPM at the time of their routine inspection. In order to reverse this trend, we will be strictly enforcing the state CFPM policy starting in 2025.

Newly Licensed Facilities

Will be issued a 90-day conditional permit if no CFPM at time of issuance.
If CFPM proof is not provided in 90-days the license will be suspended.

Existing Licensed Facilities

If no CFPM is found during an inspection, a 90-day compliance deadline will be given.
If the deadline is not met, a $150 Operating Without a CFPM fee will be assessed and a 30-day extension will be granted.
If the 2nd deadline is not met, additional fees and/or license suspension may apply.

Additional deadline extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

See DATCP's Certified Food Manager page for additional information and lists of approved training providers.

New Resource - CredibleMind

Rock County Public Health recently launched CredibleMind a new website with mental health resources. As an employer, you are invited to promote the new resource to your employees by posting information in breakrooms or other areas for employees. Topics on the website include: stress, relationships, sleep, resilience, and time management.

CredibleMind Fact Sheet

This Might Sound Cheesey...

The world's most expensive cheese is considered Pule, which is made from the milk of Balkan donkeys from Serbia and costs upwards of $600 per pound.

For over a century it was commonly accepted that cheese holes were caused by CO2 released by bacteria during production. However, recent Swiss studies put a hole in that theory and suggest they are are a result of tiny bits of hay present in the milk used.

Turophobia is a condition characterized by an irrational fear of cheese. Symptoms may include difficulty approaching cheese, extreme discomfort when seeing cheese, being unable to touch cheese, or the inability to be a Packers fan.

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