PULLMAN – WSU Extension will present a two-part series of Good Agricultural Practices workshops for growers across the state, promoting on-farm food safety and certification for new GAPs markets.
Session one will provide an overview and guidance on implementing on-farm food safety practices and will be presented over the next two months. The daylong workshops run 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at all locations.
Dec. 2: Fort Warden State Park, Commons Bldg, Port Townsend
Dec. 3: WSU Snohomish County Extension, 600 128th St. S.E., Everett
Jan. 13: WSU Whatcom County Extension, 1000 N. Forest St., #201, Bellingham
Jan. 14: Washington State Department of Agriculture Building, 1111 Washington Street
S.E., Room 172, Olympia
Session two workshops are scheduled for Feb. 28-March 3. In these sessions, participants will have an opportunity to discuss and work with speakers to address food safety issues specific to their farming systems. Participants must attend session one to attend the second session.
Those completing both sessions will receive a certificate of completion and are eligible for follow-up support.
The cost for both sessions is $75 and includes lunch, refreshments and course materials. Registration and advance payment are required. For more information and registration, click here.
WSU is not an official GAPs third-party certification organization. However, those who attend both sessions, complete a series of assignments and are interested in pursuing certification will be eligible for a mock GAPs audit conducted by WSU Extension faculty and staff to help them prepare.
This project is sponsored by the WSU Western Center for Risk Management Education and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
For more information about GAPs and the Extension workshops, contact Karen Killinger at 509-335-2970 or karen_killinger@wsu.edu.