Training Workshops for On-Farm Poultry and Rabbit Processing Certification Scheduled for April 13

ANNAPOLIS, MD – To help farmers meet growing demand for local meats, the Maryland Department of Agriculture will conduct a training workshop for on-farm poultry and rabbit slaughter and processing . The training is scheduled for Thursday, April 13, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S Truman Pkwy, Annapolis. The fee is $20 and includes lunch and materials. Pre-registration is required. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.

This workshop is part of a voluntary certification program to assist small poultry and rabbit operations to meet the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s approved source requirements to sell poultry and/or rabbit (off-farm) at farmers’ markets or to restaurants and retailers in Maryland.

Workshop participants will learn to recognize diseases of public health concern, take basic biosecurity measures, write and implement basic Standard Sanitary Operating Procedures, develop Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plans, and properly dispose of offal and waste water.

To become certified for off-farm sales, producers must:

• Complete the training;
• Pass a brief test at the training;
• Submit an application for certification along with a $75 annual fee; and
• Be inspected by the department’s inspectors, who will conduct an inspection at least once per year to verify that producers are following food safety requirements.

To download a copy of the registration form, click here. Space is limited, so register early.

For questions, contact Carol Reynolds at 410-841-5769 or carol.reynolds@maryland.gov.  To learn more about Maryland’s Poultry and Rabbit Program, visit the program’s website.

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