Training Program Offers Mock Audit of On-Farm Food Safety Plans

ANNAPOLIS, MD –  The Maryland Department of Agriculture is partnering with Future Harvest to host a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) food safety training for fruit and vegetable growers on April 15, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the University of Maryland’s Terp Farm in Upper Marlboro. The training will be split between a review of Maryland GAP materials and a mock audit of Terp Farm’s GAP program with an auditor from the department.

This workshop is designed for farmers who have previous experience with the department’s GAP program. Attendance is limited to 30 participants. Registration and pre-payment is required. Interested parties can register here. Further information on the training can be found at Future Harvest’s website.

Md. Dept. of Agriculture offers two GAP certification programs for fruit and vegetable producers. The department’s GAP certification is geared toward direct marketers or other producers who want to start with a basic food safety program, and is available to Maryland fruit and vegetable producers at no cost. Nationally recognized USDA GAP/GHP and Harmonized GAP certification is provided through a cooperative agreement with USDA, and meets the requirements of many wholesale buyers. USDA audit fees may be cost-shared using specialty crop grant funding.

For more information on these programs, contact Deanna Baldwin with the Maryland Department of Agriculture at [email protected] or 410-841-5769 or Donna Pahl with University of Maryland at [email protected] or 410-440-2047.

Learn more about the department’s Good Agricultural Practices Program

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