ITHACA, N.Y. — Vegetable growers who start raising broccoli need to meet “leafy-green” food-safety standards. Making that transition, or expanding broccoli production, requires careful planning and knowledge of all steps with contamination risk. The Eastern Broccoli Project is offering a webinar to help eastern growers that makes transition with more confidence.
The webinar features two of the top people in produce safety, known for finding sensible and effective ways to make sure the produce shipping out does not have pathogens.
UVM Agricultural Engineer Dr. Chris Callahan and Produce Safety Alliance Director Dr. Elizabeth Bihn will present a webinar on Monday, May 14 at 2 p.m. on “Produce Safety for Broccoli Producers”.
- What the latest version of the rules require of eastern broccoli growers
- Controlling the likeliest points of contamination in a broccoli harvest and packing operation
- Educational resource the Eastern Broccoli Project that are good references and guidance for construction and worker training.
Broccoli growers have particular sanitation challenges during cooling and icing, and all vegetable growers are looking for good water management and surface sanitation. Growers considering adding broccoli to their mix may need to make an investment in cooling equipment that meets recent sanitation requirements; this webinar should be an excellent guide for making that investment effectively.
Please register online at the Eastern Broccoli Project blog: https://blogs.cornell.edu/easternbroccoliproject/2018/04/24/produce-safety-webinar-for-broccoli-producers/ Those registering can specify issues they would like to see addressed during the webinar.
The Eastern Broccoli Project is funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to increase the amount of regionally sourced broccoli for the East though breeding adapted varieties, and providing regionally relevant resources to growers, food hubs, and others in the distribution chain. Project information is available at easternbroccoli.org.
–School of Integrative Plant Science
Cornell University
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