The Fruit Growers News

When a little Colorado girl died in late 1996 from drinking contaminated fresh apple cider, shock waves spread throughout the juice making industry.

“Most of us were on the verge of panic,” remembers Richard Koziski, owner and operator of the Dexter Cider Mill and a guild director. “We started to consider our alternatives.”

The alternatives were simple: Get scared, get defensive, get smart, get organized or get out.

Koziski and a group of like-minded Michigan cider makers decided to get organized and get smarter in order to preserve their heritage and show they can produce a safe product. All the discussion and planning resulted in the Michigan Cider Makers’ Guild, an organization committed to both the rich heritage of cider making and the production of a safety product for consumers. The guild’s mission statement reads: “Sharing the heritage of apple cider and the standards of excellence for production, education and promotion.”

“We want to make the guild a leading light,” said President Bill Erwin of Erwin Orchards in South Lyon. “We want to make it something the media, the public and other states can come to for reliable advice.”

Approximately 50 of the state’s 100 licensed cider makers attended an organizational meeting June 14 at Uncle John’s Cider Mill in St. John’s, and many of them opened their checkbooks and paid the $200 initiation fee. Of that amount, $140 pays the cost of creating an official cider makers guild sign to be displayed at each member’s mill. Annual dues thereafter will be $100.

However, stressing the educational nature of the guild, the sign and membership are earned after each cider maker demonstrates he or she has sufficient knowledge to meet the guild’s standards.

The organization has been in the planning stages for two years. It was formed in late 1999 and elected a slate of officers. Joining Erwin and Koziski are Jim Koan, vice president, of Al-Mar Orchards in Flushing; Mary Emmett, secretary, Plymouth Orchards, Plymouth; Mike Beck, treasurer, of Uncle John’s Cider Mill; and directors Les Posey of Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills and Ed Robinette of Robinette’s Cider Mill in Grand Rapids.

The guild will hold its annual meeting each year during the Michigan State Horticultural Society’s annual convention. This year, guild members will meet Dec. 6. A cider school will be held in February or March of 2001 where cider makers will learn how to use the existing Michigan Good Management Practices (GMPs) and Standard Sanitary Operating Procedures (SSOPs) in their operations. Instead of a final examination, each person attending the school will draw up a set of SSOPs for his or her mill.

An SSOP, explained Koan, is a flow chart of what happens during the cider making process “from blossom to bottle.” Koan has already written SSOPs for his mill, a process that took him from 40 to 60 hours. He said the process of attending the school and coming away with a set of these procedures could only benefit a mill operator.

“You will all be at less risk. Plus, if and when they are required by the FDA, yours will be already done,” he said.

To become eligible for membership in the guild, a cider maker must be a cider producer, licensed and in good standing with the Michigan Department of Agriculture, commit to attending the annual meeting and school, and have their GMPs on file with the state. Each prospective member must have their most current MDA report from 2000, the GMPs and SSOPs filed with the guild by no later than June 1, 2001.

If a member’s cider production changes ownership, the new owner will need to re-apply for guild membership. Each member will be entitled to the sign and will be able to use the logo in advertising.

Koziski noted that one dictionary definition of “guild” is an association of artisans who come together for mutual protection. So a core group met to discuss issues, answer questions and begin shaping the new organization.

He noted that plenty of progress has already been made on the safety front. Michigan fresh cider manufacturers do not use drops, adoption of GMPs, the adoption by some mills of Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) procedures and a good working relationship with regulators.

Koziski also struck the “heritage” theme, and said the guild would communicate the importance of being able to offer traditional, non-pasteurized cider to the consumer. He was able to communicate that message to USDA Secretary Dan Glickman during a C-SPAN television call-in program June 8. During the conversation, Glickman said consumers wanted both pasteurized and non-pasteurized cider to be available.

“The consumer will make the ultimate choice and that’s probably as it should be,” said Koziski.

Mike Beck of Uncle John’s is doing some of the research focusing on methods other than pasteurization to achieve the FDA-mandated five-log (100,000-fold) kill of bacteria and thus escape having to put a mandatory warning label on the cider container.

More than 50 ultraviolet light units are operating across the country. The goal: come up with a recipe to achieve that five-log kill without using pasteurization. Much of the regulatory decision making for cider and other fresh juice manufacturers has not yet been completed. When will the five-log kill step be mandated – before or after the juice is produced? What kinds of treatments will be acceptable to the government?

Some cider makers have expressed frustration at the delays, but they may be working in favor of the industry, according to John Tilden of MDA’s fruit and dairy division.

“The FDA is trying to get as much information from us from as many sources as possible. They are trying not to do a knee-jerk reaction,” he said.











		Pressing For Success: Michigan Cider Makers’ Guild Sets the Bar High for its Members By Lee Dean Managing Editor When a little Colorado girl died in late 1996 from drinking contaminated fresh apple cider, shock waves spread throughout the juice making industry. “Most of us were on the verge of panic,” remembers Richard Koziski, owner and operator of the Dexter Cider Mill and a guild director. “We started to consider our alternatives.” The alternatives were simple: Get scared, get defensive, get smart, get organized or get out. Koziski and a group of like-minded Michigan cider makers decided to get organized and get smarter in order to preserve their heritage and show they can produce a safe product. All the discussion and planning resulted in the Michigan Cider Makers’ Guild, an organization committed to both the rich heritage of cider making and the production of a safety product for consumers. The guild’s mission statement reads: “Sharing the heritage of apple cider and the standards of excellence for production, education and promotion.” “We want to make the guild a leading light,” said President Bill Erwin of Erwin Orchards in South Lyon. “We want to make it something the media, the public and other states can come to for reliable advice.” Approximately 50 of the state’s 100 licensed cider makers attended an organizational meeting June 14 at Uncle John’s Cider Mill in St. John’s, and many of them opened their checkbooks and paid the $200 initiation fee. Of that amount, $140 pays the cost of creating an official cider makers guild sign to be displayed at each member’s mill. Annual dues thereafter will be $100. However, stressing the educational nature of the guild, the sign and membership are earned after each cider maker demonstrates he or she has sufficient knowledge to meet the guild’s standards. The organization has been in the planning stages for two years. It was formed in late 1999 and elected a slate of officers. Joining Erwin and Koziski are Jim Koan, vice president, of Al-Mar Orchards in Flushing; Mary Emmett, secretary, Plymouth Orchards, Plymouth; Mike Beck, treasurer, of Uncle John’s Cider Mill; and directors Les Posey of Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills and Ed Robinette of Robinette’s Cider Mill in Grand Rapids. The guild will hold its annual meeting each year during the Michigan State Horticultural Society’s annual convention. This year, guild members will meet Dec. 6. A cider school will be held in February or March of 2001 where cider makers will learn how to use the existing Michigan Good Management Practices (GMPs) and Standard Sanitary Operating Procedures (SSOPs) in their operations. Instead of a final examination, each person attending the school will draw up a set of SSOPs for his or her mill. An SSOP, explained Koan, is a flow chart of what happens during the cider making process “from blossom to bottle.” Koan has already written SSOPs for his mill, a process that took him from 40 to 60 hours. He said the process of attending the school and coming away with a set of these procedures could only benefit a mill operator. “You will all be at less risk. Plus, if and when they are required by the FDA, yours will be already done,” he said. To become eligible for membership in the guild, a cider maker must be a cider producer, licensed and in good standing with the Michigan Department of Agriculture, commit to attending the annual meeting and school, and have their GMPs on file with the state. Each prospective member must have their most current MDA report from 2000, the GMPs and SSOPs filed with the guild by no later than June 1, 2001. If a member’s cider production changes ownership, the new owner will need to re-apply for guild membership. Each member will be entitled to the sign and will be able to use the logo in advertising. Koziski noted that one dictionary definition of “guild” is an association of artisans who come together for mutual protection. So a core group met to discuss issues, answer questions and begin shaping the new organization. He noted that plenty of progress has already been made on the safety front. Michigan fresh cider manufacturers do not use drops, adoption of GMPs, the adoption by some mills of Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) procedures and a good working relationship with regulators. Koziski also struck the “heritage” theme, and said the guild would communicate the importance of being able to offer traditional, non-pasteurized cider to the consumer. He was able to communicate that message to USDA Secretary Dan Glickman during a C-SPAN television call-in program June 8. During the conversation, Glickman said consumers wanted both pasteurized and non-pasteurized cider to be available. “The consumer will make the ultimate choice and that’s probably as it should be,” said Koziski. Mike Beck of Uncle John’s is doing some of the research focusing on methods other than pasteurization to achieve the FDA-mandated five-log (100,000-fold) kill of bacteria and thus escape having to put a mandatory warning label on the cider container. More than 50 ultraviolet light units are operating across the country. The goal: come up with a recipe to achieve that five-log kill without using pasteurization. Much of the regulatory decision making for cider and other fresh juice manufacturers has not yet been completed. When will the five-log kill step be mandated – before or after the juice is produced? What kinds of treatments will be acceptable to the government? Some cider makers have expressed frustration at the delays, but they may be working in favor of the industry, according to John Tilden of MDA’s fruit and dairy division. “The FDA is trying to get as much information from us from as many sources as possible. They are trying not to do a knee-jerk reaction,” he said.





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