Becoming a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual

Promoting and Advancing Petroleum Marketing, Retail Grocery, and Convenience Stores in West Virginia

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

Our Purpose and Commitment

OMEGA is a West Virginia-based organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the business interests of the state’s petroleum marketing, retail grocery, and convenience store industries.

As a network of over 225 locally owned businesses, OMEGA actively promotes cooperation, advocates for favorable legislation, and provides education and resources to its members. With over 50,000 employees, OMEGA members significantly contribute to the state’s economy, generating more than 10% of all state taxes and supporting local communities through scholarships, charitable donations, and civic involvement.

OMEGA is committed to fostering industry growth while serving West Virginians with essential services like fuel, food, and convenience.

who frontpage

member frontpage

Join a Community that Champions, Connects, and Elevates!

Your Essential Connection in West Virginia

OMEGA offers three types of membership: Convenience Store Members, Petroleum Marketer Members, and Grocer Members, all of which play a vital role in providing fuel, food, and essentials across West Virginia. As a liaison with state and national agencies, OMEGA works closely with organizations like NACS, PMAA, FMI, and the N.G.A. to advocate on behalf of its members.

We keep members informed through newsletters, legislative updates, an online resource hub, and educational seminars. Additional member benefits include access to the Encova Workers’ Compensation Discount Program and participation in our annual Trade Expo and fundraising efforts for children’s charities. OMEGA is here to support, advocate, and enhance the success of our industry members.

This week, FMI hosted a three-day training session that allows food retailers and other interested parties to become preventive controls qualified individuals (PCQI) as defined by FDA through a curriculum developed through the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA). Under the preventive controls rule, certain food safety tasks must be performed by a PCQI. We trained representatives from several FMI member companies, who are now qualified to perform many of the tasks required under FSMA.

By: Hilary Thesmar, PhD, RD, FMI Vice President, Food Safety Programs, Food Marketing Institute and Stephanie Barnes, Regulatory Counsel, Food Marketing Institute <img src="http://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/photos-for-staff-use/back-end/20151208-fmi-582-web.jpg?sfvrsn=2&MaxWidth=350&MaxHeight=&ScaleUp=false&Quality=High&Method=ResizeFitToAreaArguments&Signature=CEB676CAEA7DDED42645E87ED50423F3" data-displaymode="Custom" alt="20151208-FMI-582-WEB" title="20151208-FMI-582-WEB" style="float: right; margin: 5px 0px 5px 10px;" data-method="ResizeFitToAreaArguments" data-customsizemethodproperties="{'MaxWidth':'350','MaxHeight':'','ScaleUp':false,'Quality':'High'}" /> The <a href="http://www.fda.gov/">Food and Drug Administration</a> (FDA) continues its implementation of the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/">Food Safety Modernization Act</a> (FSMA), which significantly overhauls the country’s food safety system.  The agency has already released several of the law’s final rules, and two additional key rules are expected over the next few months.  In September 2015, FDA released the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/09/17/2015-21920/current-good-manufacturing-practice-hazard-analysis-and-risk-based-preventive-controls-for-human">Preventive Controls for Human Food final rule</a>, which requires covered food facilities to create written food safety plans that include hazard analyses and preventive controls, among other requirements. This week, FMI hosted a three-day training session that allows food retailers and other interested parties to become preventive controls qualified individuals (PCQI) as defined by FDA through a curriculum developed through the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm284406.htm">Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance</a> (FSPCA).  Under the preventive controls rule, certain food safety tasks must be performed by a PCQI.  We trained representatives from several FMI member companies, who are now qualified to perform many of the tasks required under FSMA. There will be many additional opportunities for your food safety professionals to become trained as a preventive controls qualified individual in the coming months.  FMI will be hosting another preventive controls <a href="http://www.fmi.org/forms/meeting/MeetingFormPublic/view?id=376DC00000002A">training session in March</a>, and we will provide future educational sessions on additional FSMA rules to ensure that the supermarket industry is fully prepared as we approach key compliance dates. Related FMI FSMA Materials: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.fmi.org/forms/meeting/MeetingFormPublic/view?id=376DC00000002A">Registration Link for March Training</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/gr/fsmafinalpreventivecontrolsfinal920.pdf?sfvrsn=2">FMI Slides on Preventive Controls Final Rule</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/gr/fmi-generic-food-safety-plan-for-distribution-centersd4e2fd0224aa67249237ff0000c12749.docx?sfvrsn=0">FMI Generic Food Safety Plan for Distribution Centers</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/gr/fmi-overview-of-fsma---january-2016.pdf?sfvrsn=0">FMI Overview of FSMA Provisions</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.fmi.org/government-affairs/regulatory/food-safety---fsma-resources">FMI FSMA Resources Webpage</a></li> </ul> Disclaimer: The information provided by the FSPCA is for training purposes only and is intended as a training tool to assist companies in complying with FSMA, but does not ensure compliance with FDA’s regulations or any other law or legal requirement.

Read full article on FMI

Menus

Some of the main menus of the template are now set via the template parameters saving you having to set up menu modules for each menu. From this section you can choose what menus you would like connected with these pre assigned menu areas of the template.

Copyright Information

Enter the copyright information that will appear in the footer area of your template.

Supporting West Virginia Communities

OMEGA members play a vital role in West Virginia, supporting communities through substantial tax contributions and a wide-reaching presence across the state. With over 55% of the population living in border counties, our members are dedicated to serving both local and regional needs. Beyond business, we’re proud to give back, having contributed over $3.1 million to children’s charities since 2003, reflecting our commitment to making a positive difference.