Fresh Produce Safety Trainings

July 24^th 9:00 – 1:00 (for NC Cooperative Extension Agents); followed by 1:30 - 5:30 (for both NCCE Agents and Growers)

July 25th 9:00 - 12:00 (for both NCCE Agents and Growers)

North Carolina Cooperative Extension, the North Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Task Force and the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) would like to invite NC Growers and NC Extension Agents to Fresh Produce Safety Training workshops.

The workshops will provide research-based information on the general procedures that growers, field workers, and packers of fresh fruits and vegetables use to implement safe handling of fresh produce. These practices are called “Good Agricultural Practices” (GAP) and “Good Handling Practices” (GHP).  Training sessions addressing fresh produce safety will take place in Haywood County on July 24^th and in Buncombe County on July 25^th. 

The Haywood Co. session on July 24th will begin with classroom instruction for NC Cooperative Extension Agents and conclude with an afternoon visit to an Haywood Co. farm and a local packing shed where ”mock” produce safety certification audits will be conducted.  Local farmers are invited to join Extension agents at the afternoon session for the audits.

Farmers and Extension agents are both invited to attend a morning training session on July 25^th at the Buncombe Co. farm.  After a general information session on GAP and GHP, another “mock” audit will be conducted at that farm. Most of the product at the Buncombe farm moves through direct marketing channels. 

All audits will be conducted by Beth Bland, a certified “third party” auditor with the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. Instructional materials are drawn from fresh produce safety modules developed by the NC Fresh Produce Safety Task Force.

For agents attending the Thursday session, Friday’s session is optional. Agents interested in participating in this training session, can register for it at the LMS website. Agents will be reimbursed for travel expenses.

Farmers wishing to register for one or both of these sessions should visit the ASAP on-line registration website for the training event at http://asapconnections.org/special/2008/FoodSafety.htm or call Allison Perrett at ASAP (828.236.1282). Growers are encouraged to register early because space is limited for the audits.

For more information, please call or email Keith Baldwin at 336.334.7957 (kbaldwin@ncat.edu), Allison Perrett at 828.236.1282 (allison@asapconnections.org) or Diane Ducharme at 704.250.5402 (diane_ducharme@ncsu.edu).

Directions for Haywood County Training:  From Canton, take Hwy 110 south for 3.5 miles to the corn maze. From the corn maze, go another ¼ mile to the field on the right at the intersection of NC Hwy 110 & Martin Rd

From Interstate 40, take Exit 31 & take 215 south to Canton. 215 will bear to the right after the Subway Restaurant. At the stoplight, turn left. At the 4 th light turn right on Hwy 110 south. Go 3.5 miles to the corn maze. From the corn maze, go another ¼ mile to the field on the right at the intersection of NC Hwy 110 & Martin Rd.

Directions for Buncombe County Training:  From Asheville, NC, take Interstate 240 West. Continue on US-19/US-23 South (US-74-ALT West). Turn right on NC 63/New Leicester Hwy and continue for 7.1 miles until reaching 2555 New Leicester Highway, NC 63. Leicester, NC 28748.