GOSHEN, Ind. — Purdue Extension is offering 13 produce food safety training sessions at locations throughout Indiana to aid farms and growers in learning the basics of food safety and assist in establishing safety programs for their operations. The two sites closest to Elkhart County are Plymouth on November 30, and Fort Wayne on March 29.
The trainings last about seven hours and utilize the Produce Safety Alliance curriculum. The content includes an introduction to produce safety; worker health, hygiene and training; soil amendments; wildlife, domesticated animals and land use; agricultural water; postharvest handling and sanitation; and how to develop a farm safety plan.
These sessions meet the training requirement for farms covered under the Food Safety Modernization Act’s produce safety rule. Even if you are not required to meet those guidelines, this is a great opportunity for growers to get helpful information in one location and begin the process of learning about produce food safety and developing a food safety program on their farms.
Classes at each site will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. The sessions are $100 per participant, which includes a curriculum manual, certificate of completion and lunch. To register for any location, go to www.SafeProduceIN.com and click on the “Get Trained” option.
If you do not have an email address or internet access, please call The Purdue Education Store to register at 765-494-6794. For more information about the content of the program, contact Scott Monroe at 812-886-0198 or Amanda Deering at 765-494-0512.
Purdue University is an affirmative action, equal access/equal opportunity institution.
— Purdue Extension Elkhart County
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