Food Safety Training workshops for Fruit and Vegetable Producers Offered Across the State

Photo by Edwin Remsberg

Annapolis, MD  – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) and University of Maryland Extension (UME) will be conducting a series of regional food safety training workshops for fruit and vegetable producers.

These one-day workshops, offered across Maryland, are important for small- and large- scale producers who want to understand how to meet current and proposed U.S. Food and Drug Administration food safety requirements or are considering Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification. The training will provide assistance in writing and implementing a GAP program for both wholesale growers and direct marketers.

Topics to be covered include: highlights of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act; Good Agricultural Practices such as addressing pre-harvest and post-harvest water quality issues; an update on current food safety research; writing a food safety plan; and MDA/University of Maryland programs to assist producers in implementing GAP. A large portion of the training will be spent helping producers write their own food safety plans. Producers are encouraged to bring their own laptops. Laptops will also be provided to those who cannot bring them.

The workshop schedule is below. Each workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fee for the program is $25 and covers lunch and materials. Attendees will receive a certificate of participation after the program. Register online at: http://ter.ps/MDgaps

• Feb. 12: Western Maryland Research and Education Center, 18330 Keedysville Rd. Keedysville, MD 21756. Contact: Bryan Butler, [email protected], 410-386-2760.
• Feb. 27: Wicomico County Extension Office, 28647 Old Quantico Rd, Salisbury, MD 21801. Contact Sasha Marine, [email protected], 410-742-1178 x304.
• RESCHEDULED. March 20: Wye Research and Education Center, 124 Wye Narrows Dr., Queenstown, MD 21658. Contact Sudeep Mathew, [email protected], 410-228-8800.
• March 11: St. Mary’s Ag. Services Center. 26737 Radio Station Way, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Contact Ben Beale, [email protected] , 301-475-4481.
• March 18: Baltimore County Extension Office, 1114 Shawan Rd, Cockeysville, MD 21030. Contact David Martin, [email protected], 410-771-1761.

Note: If you have questions or encounter difficulties registering online, contact the organizer for the specific location.

 MDA offers two GAP certification programs for fruit and vegetable producers. Nationally recognized USDA GAP/GHP and USDA Harmonized GAP pre-harvest and post-harvest certification is provided through a cooperative agreement with USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service and meets the requirements of many wholesale buyers. USDA specialty crop grant funding is available for cost share of the USDA audit fees. MDA GAP certification is geared toward direct marketers or others that want to start with a basic food safety program, and is available to Maryland fruit and vegetable producers at no cost. For more information on these programs, contact Deanna Baldwin at MDA at [email protected] or 410-841-5769; or Donna Pahl at UME at [email protected] or 301-405-4372.

To learn more about MDA’s Good Agricultural Practices Program, visit here. 

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