Get Along, Food Safety, PQA

GETTING ALONG WITH OTHERS ON THE JOB

Perhaps the most important skill you can develop for your job is the ability to get along with others. No matter how good you are at your job, if you can get along with others you will be a much happier and contented person.

The ability or skill can be learned by anyone who really wants it. Although some folks seem to have a natural skill at getting along with others, the reality is that they have worked at it so long and so conscientiously that it has become a habit.

Here are some suggestions to consider:

1. The most important thing you wear is your facial expression and to a significant extent you can control that.

2. Learn to like people. Recognize that every person has good qualities and characteristics from which you can learn or profit.

3. Be willing to share with others your knowledge, skills, and experience. Assume a “we” attitude, realizing that no person can make it alone.

4. Be mature and willing to admit your mistakes, and learn from them. Everyone at every level makes mistakes.

5. Be willing to accommodate the ideas and ways of others and to compromise.

6. Try to accept criticism gracefully. You do not have to enjoy criticism in order to accept it for the truths that it may hold.

7. Encourage the positive rather than emphasize the negative. But if you feel it is necessary to criticize, try to criticize the behavior or the act. Avoid criticizing the person.

8. Be polite and courteous. Show a genuine, humane respect for each person.

9. Try to control your tongue: that little organ has strength and influence all out of proportion to its size.

Food Safety Quality Assurance Workshop for Youth Livestock Exhibitors

The next FSQA workshop for Franklin County youth involved in livestock production is scheduled for Monday, March 16, 7:00-9:00 pm. at the Hampton State Bank. These sessions are open to all 4-H livestock exhibitors in Franklin County. Members will learn the importance of proper nutrition and health care for their animals. Ethics and handling livestock safely will also be covered. Members need to attend only one of the sessions. Certificates of completion will be kept on file at the Franklin County Extension Office.

At the 2009 Franklin County Fair all 4-H youth exhibiting beef, bucket calf, dairy cattle, dairy goat, meat goat, sheep, swine, poultry, and rabbit must be FSQA Certified. This is following the Iowa State Fair 4-H livestock rules for 2009.

Certificates are good for one year. Franklin County members age 12 and older may contact the Franklin County Extension office for a test out option. Testing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 5:00-6:00 p.m. at the Extension Office in Hampton.

PQA plus certification session offered

A regional PQA plus certification meeting will be held in Garner at the Hancock County Extension office, 327 West 8^th St, on Thursday, March 12 from 1-3 pm. There is a $25 per producer fee for the class payable at the door.

PQA plus is a National Pork Board program that emphasizes good production practices aimed at pork quality, safety and animal welfare. PQA plus certification replaces PQA Level 3 certifications which are being phased out as those certifications expire. This meeting is one of several regional certification meetings being offered by ISU Extension and the Iowa Pork Industry Center on a rotating basis.

If you have questions about the March 12 meeting or the PQA plus program you can contact Russ Euken at 641-923-2856 or email reuken@iastate.edu

always on the job photo by chad k over at flickr.com