Welcome to Skagit County
March 10, 2004
FOOD SAFETY WORKSHOP FOR SMALL FARMS & DIRECT MARKETERS
March 30, 2004
WSU Mount Vernon Research & Extension Unit
9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Who should attend?
- Growers and marketers
of produce
- Producers and marketers
of products at farmers markets
- Operators of farmers
markets and other direct markets
- Related regulators
Objectives
- Increase the understanding
of critical food safety issues associated with
produce and other products sold at farmers markets and other direct markets
- Discuss options to present
practices
- Clarify regulatory issues
related to direct marketing of produce and other
products
- Discuss development and safety issues associated with value-added products
On February 5, 2004, FDA
issued a letter to packers of fresh tomatoes and lettuce
advising FDA's concern about continuing outbreaks of foodborne illness associated
with
consumption of fresh produce, especially lettuce and tomatoes. FDA further stated
that
the manner in which produce was grown, harvested, sorted, packed and distributed
is
crucial to ensuring that the potential for microbial contamination on produce
is
minimized, thereby reducing the risk of illness to consumers.
With the above in mind,
WSU Extension, WSU Small Farm Team, WSDA
Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program, and WSDA Food Safety Program are
cooperatively offering a series of half-day workshops addressing food safety
issues
related to farmers markets and other direct marketing systems.
Each program will begin
with a discussion of Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP's), which include safety issues and recommendations for growers, packers,
shippers, and marketers of unprocessed or minimally processed fresh fruits and
vegetables. These voluntary guides were issued by FDA and include potential
microbial
hazards (human pathogens) and recommended growing and handling practices to
minimize such hazards. Water safety and uses, manure and biosolids, worker health
and
hygiene, field and facility sanitation, transportation and handling, and traceback
and
recall will be discussed.
The workshop will include
a brief overview of general standards for manufacturing safe
food products, including personnel, plants and grounds, sanitary operations,
sanitary
facilities and controls, equipment design, equipment maintenance and calibration,
and
production and process controls. Sanitation procedures will be emphasized.
Value added products will
be discussed. Participants in each workshop will
determine products and issues to be discussed relative to product safety, manufacture,
applicable regulations, etc. Products could include meat and poultry products,
cut
produce, jams and jellies, cider and juices, among others.
Following are the scheduled workshops. All workshops run from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm.
- Spokane March 8, 2004
- Puyallup March 22, 2004
- Wenatchee March 24, 2004
- Mount Vernon March 30,
2004
- Issaquah April 1, 2004
- Bremerton April 7, 2004
- Vancouver April 13, 2004
- Yakima/Union Gap April 15, 2004
Registration for the workshop is $10. For site locations and registration information, please go to http://www.emmps.wsu.edu or contact WSU Extension Meeting Management & Program Support at 509-335-2811.
For program information,
contact Richard Dougherty at Dougherty@wsu.edu
or 509-335-0972.