It is vital that the foods people eat are safe, and an upcoming workshop will discuss the practices needed to safeguard vegetables and fruits.
The event, which is being held both virtually and in person, discusses Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Produce Safety Rules. Attendees can earn a certificate in MDA Good Agricultural Practices, but they must attend the entire day to receive it.
The day is highly structured, with lectures, written assignments, and discussions planned on a variety of topics. The day begins with registration at 8.00 am, followed by an introduction, expectations for those taking the class, and an introduction to Writing a Food Safety Plan.
The next class will define hazard analysis and discuss “Workers: Health Hygiene, and Training.” A short break follows, then a discussion of Wildlife is scheduled.
The next discussion is Production Water, followed by a question period, then lunch.
The sessions resume at with a presentation on “Waste: Fertilizers/Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin (BSAAO’s).”
The “Good Handling Practices: Harvest and Postharvest” is next, followed by a break. A talk on Postharvest Water is next, followed by a presentation on Standard Operating Procedures.
The last presentation discusses “What is next?,” including GAP implementation, the audit, and questions about record keeping. The workshop ends at 4.30 pm.
The event takes place June 15 at the Firebird Research Farm (UDC) on Old Baltimore Pike in Beltsville. Organizers of events like this often use flyer printing to create an agenda.
