Good Agricultural Practices - University of Illinois Extension Calendar of Events

Good Agricultural Practices
Date & Time	November 5, 2009 (8:30 AM - 4:00 PM)
Location	Kankakee Community College 100 College Drive Kankakee, IL 60901 (Kankakee County)
Description	University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee County is teaming with Cornell University and Kankakee Community College to offer the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) workshop. Food safety requires good agricultural practices which begin on the farm. For fresh fruit and vegetable producers, this is particularly important because most of the fresh produce they grow is eaten raw. Recent produce-associated food-borne illness outbreaks have heightened public awareness of produce food safety and increased the demand by fresh produce buyers to have third party auditors verify farm food safety practices. In all produce operations, it is critical to be aware of and implement food safety practices so that microbial risks can be minimized. Produce operations would benefit from having a written farm food safety plan or a worker training program in place. This workshop was inspired by the desire to keep fresh fruit and vegetable producers in Illinois competitive in the marketplace. The increasing focus on GAPs and third party audit requirements are being utilized by the retail and the food service industry to identify growers who have implemented GAPs and have a verified farm food safety plan. These growers are getting their business. The following topics will be covered: • An overview of GAPs (produce safety impacts) • Good handling practices • Vegetable retailer food safety concerns • Auditing farms for food safety • Food defense protocols in the food chain • Crisis and risk management Cost per participant is $30 and $25 for one additional farm/family member (sharing the curriculum). Pre-registration is required by October 20, 2009. You may register online for this program. With this registration opportunity, you may use a credit card and immediately pay and confirm your registration. Online, you may also choose to pay by check which will tentatively register you until your check is received in our office. Additionally, you may call the office to register by credit card or pay in person at University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee County, 1650 Commerce Drive, Bourbonnais, IL 60914.
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