Produce Farmers: Register now for Rochester GAPs workshop on October 31

Join U of MN Extension to learn practical steps for keeping your produce safe, your customers healthy, and your business flourishing (and growing!).

Learn how Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) can improve the quality and safety of your produce and help you access new markets. This training is designed for small- to medium-sized fruit and vegetable growers, but any farmer or gardener is welcome to attend. Learn from Extension educators and your fellow farmers in this interactive session. Topics include:

• Best practices (GAPs) to improve safety in growing, harvest, washing and handling of fresh fruits and vegetables

• What is a GAP audit? What is FSMA? How do they apply to me?

• Learn about water testing, compost and manure use, animal intruders, safely washing vegetables, low-cost handwashing stands, and more

• Includes donation garden walk-and-talk to discuss practical setups for safe harvest, washing, and packing 

In this training, we will focus on best practices for food safety and help you figure out how to implement GAPs on your farm, and talk about writing a farm food safety plan - all necessary components of a GAP audit.

Although we will discuss the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and help you understand how it applies to you, please note that this is not a Produce Safety Rule Grower Training and will not satisfy the supervisor requirements as described in § 112.22(c) of the Produce Safety Rule.  

When: Thursday, October 31, 8:30AM - 12:30PM (Lunch to go or stay for optional networking session, 12:30-1:30PM).  

Where: History Center of Olmsted County, 1195 West Circle Drive SW, Rochester, MN 55902 (https://www.olmstedhistory.com/)  

Register at https://z.umn.edu/gaps_workshops

Space is limited - registration required. Register by Friday, October 25.

Trainers: UMN Extension Educators Anne Sawyer, PhD and Annalisa Hultberg, MS

Cost: $15. Includes light morning refreshments and lunch. All attendees issued certificate of attendance and are entered to win handwashing stand materials. A limited number of scholarships are available.

For more information: Visit Extension’s On-Farm GAPs Education Program online (https://z.umn.edu/growsafefood) or contact Anne Sawyer (sawye177@umn.edu; 651-480-7704).