University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee County is teaming with Cornell University and Kankakee Community College to offer the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling Practices (GHPs) 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 foodborne 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 and 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 program. These growers are supplying wholesale and retail food industry.

The following topics will be covered:
An overview of GAPs and GHPs produce
Auditing farms for food safety safety impacts
Educational and implementation resources
Good handling practices (post-harvest)
Crisis and risk management
Vegetable retailer food safety concerns

Cost per participant, including lunch, is $30 and $25 for an additional farm/family member (sharing thecurriculum). 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 inour 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.

The registration form is on our website: http://kankakee.extension.uiuc.edu. For more information, please call 815/933-8337.

University of Illinois Extension offers practical, research-based programs that help people improve their lives and address critical community issues involving youth, families, economics, health and natural resources. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

If you need a reasonableaccommodation to participate in this program, please contact the Unit Office at least two weeks prior to the event.