Food Safety is becoming increasingly important for all foods producers, including local food producers. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama signed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act into law. This act features the traceability of fresh produce grown in the United States, as well as greater responsibility for food producers. The bill requires producers to evaluate hazards to their products, create measures to prevent contamination and to develop written food safety plans. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, in partnership with the University of Nebraska Rural Initiative and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, are gearing up to help producers meet the requirements of the new legislation.

The planned workshops will help fresh produce growers complete the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) training. Two-day workshops will be taught by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Educators in February and March at four different locations across the state. At the end of the workshops, participating producers will understand GAPs and take steps to complete their own farm food safety plans. The topics that will be covered will help producers enhance worker sanitation, harvesting, handling, packaging, storage and transportation standards of fresh produce from the farm operation to markets, schools, restaurants, and retail stores. By completing a Farm Food Safety Plan, producers can differentiate themselves in the marketplace and appeal to many customers who perceive this training as an added benefit.

Each two-day training session will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All educational materials and costs of the workshops are provided through a Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) from USDA Rural Development that was received by the Nebraska Sustainable Ag Society in partnership with the University of Nebraska Rural Initiative.

Reservations are required to participate in the training workshops. Please register through the University of Nebraska Rural Initiative by sending an e-mail message to gaps@unl.edu or calling (402) 472-2940. Online registration is also available at http://ruralinitiative.nebraska.edu by clicking on the link under “Announcements.”

For more information, contact David Lott, UNL Extension Educator (308) 696-6781, dlott2@unl.edu or Kim Peterson, Outreach Program Specialist, (402) 472-9287, kpeterson2@unl.edu.