Food Safety Training for Fruit and Vegetable Producers to be Held April 7

ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 31, 2011) – On April 7, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the University of Maryland in partnership with Future Harvest CASA (FHCASA) will conduct food safety training for fruit and vegetable producers.  This one-day workshop is important for producers who want to understand how to meet current and future U.S. Food and Drug Administration food safety requirements through the voluntary Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification program. The training will also provide assistance in implementing a GAP program.

Topics to be covered include:  basics of GAP; addressing water quality issues; and MDA/University of Maryland programs to assist producers in implementing GAP.  Click herefor the program brochure.

Training will be held at the Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture, 1114 Shawan Rd, Cockeysville, MD 21030, from 2:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on April 7, 2011. The training fee is $15 for members of FHCASA and $20 for nonmembers, which includes dinner and materials. The registration is available online at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=8ygezafab&oeidk=a07e3lbcl9l5e72fa43
or call Alice Chalmers at 410-549-7878, email: [email protected].

MDA is offering two GAP programs for fruit and vegetable producers.   To meet the requirements of buyers for GAP certification, the farm or business must complete a successful audit of its operation conducted by MDA’s Food Quality Assurance Program to determine compliance with Good Agricultural Practices. The program is conducted through a cooperative agreement with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. The audit provides national recognition for producers to the many buyers now requiring audits for compliance to the GAP guidelines.  MDA’s Food Quality Assurance Program is also offering a GAP program geared towards producers not required to have certification by their buyers.  This program is to assist producers selling directly to consumers or in other ways not required by a buyer to have an audit for compliance with GAP implementation.