Developing Extension Competence in Good Agricultural Practices and Farm Food Safety Planning for Fruit and Vegetable Growers in Kansas and Missouri

Developing Extension Competence in Good Agricultural Practices and Farm Food Safety Planning for Fruit and Vegetable Growers in Kansas and Missouri

Summary

The goal of this project is to train a group of extension educators who work with fruit and vegetable producers in order to develop a better-coordinated effort to raise grower knowledge of food safety practices, and GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) in particular. Due to recent activity surrounding food safety outbreaks, food safety concerns are high among consumers and GAPs certification is required for wholesale markets. The immediate audience for this project is agricultural professional (primarily extension agents/educators, Department of Agriculture, personnel, and other grower-educators) in Kansas and Missouri who producers turn to for information and assistance as they attempt to develop and implement farm food safety plans. A Farm Food Safety Plan is a critical piece of documentation that is required by GAPs certification, and this could be an important barrier for small-acreage and diversified growers. In particular, several extension educators in KS and MO work with Amish and Mennonite growers, and one of the goals of this project is to provide education for our agricultural professionals that can serve the needs of this important and growing group of vegetable producers. Professionals educated under this project will gain competence and confidence and will serve as valuable resources both for serving producers and for education other agricultural professionals.

Objectives/Performance Targets

• Agricultural professionals in Kansas and Missouri knowledgeable about farm food safety planning and certification procedures for GAPs.
• Agricultural professionals that can assist producers to achieve Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices (GAPs/GHPs) certification in order to meet requirements of wholesale markets.
• Strengthened, safer local food systems as a result of expanding access to markets and increased adoption of farm food safety practices.
• Short-term Outcomes: 28 trainees in farm food safety requirements and resources for certification and the capacity to assist producers, including those with limited access to technology
• Medium term Outcomes: Training of at producers by agricultural professionals that participated in the project workshops/training, and increasing producer awareness of GAPS, even by those not seeking certification as a result of producer interactions with knowledgeable professionals.
• Long-term Outcomes: stronger, safer local and regional food systems in Kansas, Missouri and the surrounding region.

Accomplishments/Milestones

During 2012 and extension was requested and granted in order to further develop the project and deliver an advanced, Tier 2 GAPs training for extension educators in KS and MO in the Spring of 2013. Details of the workshop will be provided in the final report to be submitted at the end of the project. However, significant efforts were made to develop a curriculum and organize a two-day workshop through 2012 that was delivered in April, 2013. The goals of this workshop were to provide some advanced technical knowledge including “hands-on” experience with water testing and other practices that can be significant barriers to implementation of GAPs. Additionally, the tier 2 training would provide information specifically-related to extension educators. Topics included: delivering information to growers, facilitating GAPs certification (what do I do with all this paperwork?, and dealing with media during outbreak situations. In addition to planning for the tier 2 training, the Co-PIs as well as extension educators that were trained by the program implemented knowledge gained in 2010-11 to assist growers with the execution of GAPs and good food safety practices. Details are described in the Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes section below.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

During 2012, there were many impacts made that were a direct result of the work performed by the project team in 2010-11. Among these included the successful engagement of Specialists and County Extension Educators with growers on GAPs and general good food safety practices.
• Dr. Rivard provided food safety training to growers at the Growing Growers Post-harvest Handling and Food Safety Workshop (July 23, 2012) to an audience of 20 growers and farm apprentices.
• Dr. Rivard provided one-on-one assistance to at least six growers in food safety practices, including a large grower (~60 acres pumpkins and melons) that is now certified by Primus Labs (private version of GAPs with stricter policies).
• Mr. Bates organized and delivered food safety training to growers through an Advanced GAPs workshop (January 26, 2012).
• Mr. Bates held a GAPs Food Safety Development Work Session where extension educators were invited to come and observe and/or assist Mr. Bates and the grower (Bret Fahrmeier) work through the GAPs certification paperwork, policies, etc. (April 26, 2012). This event helped to facilitate the transition of a grower near St. Joseph, MO that is now GAPs certified and exposed participating extension educators to the “nuts and bolts” of certification.
• Jennifer Smith, an extension educator in Douglas County, Kansas delivered a “Basics and a Little more about Food Safety” training to approximately 20 growers at the Growing Growers workshop held in January 2012
• Ms. Smith also delivered a food safety training to approximately 80 growers at the Central Kansas Farmer’s Market Conference held in Wichita, KS (February 18, 2012).

Collaborators: