KENANSVILLE — Duplin County Cooperative Extension and Duplin County Environmental Health are collaborating to provide the nationally recognized ServSafe training for food managers and their staff starting Feb. 16, 2010.

ServSafe is an 18-hour food safety certification course developed by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation for food service managers and supervisory staff in restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes and other food service establishments. Classes are 1-4 p.m. on Feb. 16-18 and 23-25, and March 1.

Registration has begun and ends Jan. 22, 2010. Tuition, which includes the textbook and all class materials, is $110 per student. The workshop will be held at the Duplin Cooperative Extension office in the Ed Emory Auditorium of the Lois G. Britt Agricultural Center in Kenansville.

The ServSafe workshop facilitators include Wanda Clay, Duplin Cooperative Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Agent, staff from the Duplin County Environmental Health Department, and other food and environmental specialists from North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

A certificate from the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, which can be proudly displayed in the work place, is awarded to all who successfully complete the course and written examination, states Clay. Additional information or registration forms are available at the Cooperative Extension office by calling Clay or Emily Walter at 910.296.2143.