Last chance to sign up for food safety workshop

This is your last chance to siugn up for our upcoming food safety program - Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs): Developing a Food Safety Program for Fruit and Vegetable Growers, to
be held at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, SR
29 N, Immokalee, Florida on Friday May 14, 2010 from 8:30 am -
4:30 pm.

The grant that makes this program possible runds out in June - similar
programs cost several hundred dollars in the private sector!

There a $20 registration fee includes lunch; please submit your registration
ASAP, so that we may ensure adequate provisions and supplies for all
attendees.

To register call 863-674-4092 or email dcabrera@ufl.edu

This program is aimed a providing training and resources to growers and
packinghouse managers to enable them to implement an effective food safety
program and to equip them to properly train workers on all aspects of produce
food safety. Having one or more of your employees certified by attending this
class will ensure that your facilty meets requirements of the new food
safety requirements.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs): Developing a Food Safety Program for Fruit
and Vegetable Growers

Agenda

Location: UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center
SR 29 N
Immokalee, Florida
Wednesday November 4, 2009

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

$20 registration fee includes lunch

8:30 am - Registration

9:00 am Welcome, Introductions and Setting the Stage How Do I Know What
I Need? Gene McAvoy, Hendry County Extension, LaBelle

9:30 am Microbiology for Growers: Understanding Organisms of Concern, Brief
presentation of main organisms, how they grow, spread, etc., Keith Schneider,
Food and Human Nutrition, Gainesville, FL

10:15 am Break

10:45 am An Overview of GAPs Issues, Reviewing key farm, field, packing
house and transportation practices, Keith Schneider, Food and Human
Nutrition, Gainesville, FL

11:30 am Worker Health and Hygiene, Addressing the need for worker training,
including common stumbling blocks, resources, etc., Michelle Danyluk, Citrus
Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, FL

12:15 pm Lunch

1:15 pm The Importance of Record Keeping, Making record keeping a
manageable part of the your food safety plan, Renee Goodrich Schneider,
Food Science and Human Nutrition, Gainesville, FL

1:45 pm Postharvest Handling and Sanitation, Effectively communicating your
food safety program and advocating for your farm, Gene McAvoy, Hendry
County Extension, LaBelle

2:15 pm Break

2:45 pm Audit Perspectives: Lack of a Standardized Audit, Preparing for an
audit/inspection without losing your mind, Renee Goodrich Schneider, Food
Science and Human Nutrition, Gainesville

3:15 pm Educational Materials and Resources, Discussing the resources that
make things easier and more effective, Keith Schneider, Food and Human
Nutrition, Gainesville, FL

3:45 pm How Can UF/IFAS Extension Help You in the Next Step? Open Forum
for Questions, Wrap-Up, Gene McAvoy, Hendry County Extension, LaBelle
4:00 pm Adjourn

Hope to see you there.

Gene

Gene McAvoy
County Extension Director

Regional Vegetable Agent IV
UF/IFAS Hendry County Extension
PO Box 68
LaBelle, Florida 33975

863-674-4092 office
863-673-5939 cell
159*11449*2 Nextel DC
gmcavoy@ifas.ufl.edu