Winter Food Safety Trainings - learn strategies during the winter to keep your crops safe all season long

Annalisa Hultberg, Extension Educator, food safety  

We are happy to share a number of on-farm food safety training opportunities open to all fruit and vegetable farmers from UMN Extension this winter.

These trainings are intended for fruit and vegetable farmers of all sizes who are interested in learning how to improve food safety and product quality. If you are selling or interested in selling to buyers such as farm to school programs, food shelves or food hubs these courses are strongly encouraged, but food safety is good business for all farms.

Topics:

• Best practices to improve safety in growing, harvesting, washing and handling of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Compost/manure use, water testing, safely washing vegetables, coolers, packing area designs and ideas, wildlife and pets, low-cost handwashing stands, and more
• Creating written procedures to improve safety and efficiency on your farm and meet requirements for a GAP audit and the FSMA Produce Safety Rule

Online Half-Day GAPs Training

This 3.5-hour fully online course is an in-depth look at GAPs on the farm and is a "one stop shop" to learn about food safety best practices in the production, washing, packing, storage and transport of fresh produce. These trainings are taught by UMN Extension and experienced farmer trainers and include interactive and photo-filled activities.

Registration Link: z.umn.edu/GAPtraining
Dates/time:

• Feb 24 : 9:00pm - 12:30pm
• March 4: 9:00am - 12:30pm
• March 12: 1:00pm - 4:30pm

Produce Safety University - Food Safety Deep Dive Webinars

Kick off 2025 with a series of short webinars to learn practical strategies to improve both the food safety and product quality of your fruits and vegetables. If you attended a farm food safety training in the past but want to sharpen your skills and learn more about specific topics, or want a refresher, these webinars are for you. Attend one, or as many dates as desired! These online webinars are led by UMN Extension educators, industry experts and experienced farmers. Topics include postharvest handling, packshed designs, FSMA water rule updates, and more.

Registration link: z.umn.edu/FoodSafetyDeepDives2025
Dates/time: Every other Friday, January 17 - April 11, 9:00 am - 10:15am

FSMA Produce Safety Rule Training

This food safety training course meets the training requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule for farms fully covered by the Produce Safety Rule. This regulatory training is offered in conjunction with the MDA Produce Safety Program and is led by UMN Extension, MDA staff and experienced farmer trainers. All growers interested in learning about produce safety, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and the FSMA Produce Safety Rule are encouraged to attend.

Registration Link: www.mda.state.mn.us/fsmatraining
Date/time:

• Feb 19 in-person: 8:30am - 5:00pm (lunch included) Regional Extension Office, Farmington 4100 220th Street West Farmington, Minnesota 55024
• March 6 online: 8:30am -5:00pm