RV: Food safety series for N.C. farmers announced

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From: Justin Moore <justin_moore@ncsu.edu>

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 10:19:17 -0500

To: justin_moore@ncsu.edu<justin_moore@ncsu.edu>

Subject: Food safety series for N.C. farmers announced

Good morning,

The N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force has announced dates for a series of training workshops to educate N.C. fruit and vegetable growers about measures to minimize food safety risks. Complete calendar of workshops.

Annually, food-borne pathogens cause an estimated 76 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths in the United States. Economic costs are estimated at $1.4 trillion, an especially big hit to N.C. where agriculture is the still the top industry. These fresh produce safety workshops  will be offered across the state and aim to reduce the instances of food/produce-related illnesses.

Please see the news release copied below for more details.

Best,
Justin Moore
N.C. MarketReady
N.C. State at the N.C. Research Campus

Media Contacts: Diane Ducharme, GAPs program coordinator and Extension associate in horticulture and food safety, N.C. MarketReady, 704-250-5402, diane_ducharme@ncsu.edu.
For assistance in arranging interviews, contact Leah Chester-Davis, coordinator of communications and community outreach, N.C. MarketReady, 704-250-5406 or leah_chester-davis@ncsu.edu.
 

N.C. Cooperative Extension Hosts Fresh Produce Safety Trainings for Farmers

 

September 1, 2010 (KANNAPOLIS, NC) – N.C MarketReady Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family is an N.C. Cooperative Extension program that educates fruit and vegetable growers about measures to minimize food safety risks. The program's training curriculum addresses specific areas of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and managing risks for producers from field to market. It consists of nine modules broken into Tier 1 and Tier 2. The comprehensive curriculum was developed by researchers and Cooperative Extension specialists at N.C. State University and N.C. A&T State University.

The N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force will conduct the Tier 2 training workshops on the following dates and locations across North Carolina:

September 16, 2010 – 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Cooperative Extension in Johnston County, 2736 NC 210 Hwy., Smithfield. For more information, contact Amie Newsome, 919-989-5380 or amie_newsome@ncsu.edu.

September 22, 2010 – 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Cooperative Extension in Onslow County, 4024 Richlands Highway, Jacksonville. For more information, contact Mark Seitz, 252-448-9621 ext. 225 or mark_seitz@ncsu.edu. 

October 12, 2010 – 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mountain Research Station, 265 Test Farm Road, Waynesville. For more information, contact Sue Colucci, 828-697-4891 or susan_colucci@ncsu.edu.

October 26, 2010 – 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Stanly County AgriCivic Center, 26032-B Newt Road, Albemarle. For more information, contact Aimee Marshall, 704-694-2415 or aimee_marshall@ncsu.edu. 

November 9, 2010 – 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Vernon James Research and Extension Center, 207 Research Station Road, Plymouth. For more information, contact Rod Gurganus, 252-793-4428 ext. 129 or rod_gurganus@ncsu.edu.

February 23, 2011 – 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Cooperative Extension in Harnett County, 126 Alexander Drive, Lillington. For more information, contact Gary Pierce, 910-893-7533 or gary_pierce@ncsu.edu.

Tier 2 will address risk identification and management issues including transportation and traceability, product recalls, liability and insurance options, and developing a crisis strategy. This workshop will benefit not only growers and packinghouse managers, but also wholesalers and transportation managers who all play an integral role in maintaining the safety of fresh produce as it moves from the field to the consumer. Currently, GAPs certification is voluntary for North Carolina farmers, though outbreaks of food-borne illness in other parts of the country have resulted in increased pressure for all farmers to become certified.

The N.C. MarketReady Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family initiative is funded with grants from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), N.C. Rural Economic Development Center and USDA Risk Management Agency. For more information, contact Diane Ducharme at 704-250-5402 or diane_ducharme@ncsu.edu. Learn more at www.ncmarketready.org.

N.C. MarketReady is a program of N.C. Cooperative Extension, which is an educational outreach of N.C. State University and N.C. A&T State University. N.C. MarketReady's multidisciplinary team builds partnerships and educational resources to help North Carolina agriculture be more profitable. N.C. MarketReady is a partner of the Plants for Human Health Institute at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis. Learn more at www.ncmarketready.org or www.ces.ncsu.edu.

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