Fresh Produce Safety Training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
The Clemson Sustainable Agriculture Program and Clemson Cooperative Extension with support from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture are conducting a series of two-day trainings in Good Agricultural Practices, focusing on fresh produce food safety. All Extension personnel and other agricultural professionals who work with vegetable and/or fruit growers, or who may be in a position to provide information on GAPs to clients, should attend this training. The training will also be appropriate for farmers who wish to implement GAPs, and for market managers and institutional food service managers who purchase produce from local farms.
The dates (2010) and locations for the training are as follows:
June 1-2: Clarion Hotel, 1615 Gervais Street Columbia, SC 29201
July 13-14: Hayden Conference Center, SC Botanical Garden on Clemson University campus, 150 Discovery Lane, Clemson, SC
September 21-22: Clemson Coastal Research & Education Center, 2700 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29414
** Trainings are scheduled in different locations to facilitate participant travel.  Each two day training session will, in general, cover the same material. Training sessions will run from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM each day.

Brief Description of the Training (full agenda to follow):
Consumer perception of food safety is driving much of the legislative environment as it relates to on-farm implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs).  Markets and distributors of fresh produce are increasingly asking farmers who supply these outlets to have GAPs certification, or at least to have a GAPs plan in place.  Producers, without food safety plans and who cannot demonstrate use of recognized GAPs  are experiencing reduced market opportunities with resultant negative economic impacts. The CU Sustainable Agriculture program has received a grant from SCDA to conduct GAPs training for Extension personnel and other agricultural professionals, who in turn will be able to assist local farmers with development of a GAPs plan and GAPs certification.
Training topics will include: 1) Introduction to fresh produce food safety; 2) GAPs field practices; 3) Packing facility sanitation; (4 Worker health and hygiene; 5) Animals, animal byproducts, biosolids, and site selection; 6) Water quality. In addition, participants will learn about cost-effective ways to implement GAPs and practical steps to develop a GAPs plan.
Instructor
The instructor for the training will be Dr. Lynn Turner, Professor of Food Science at North Carolina State University and an expert on fresh produce food safety. Dr. Turner is also a member of the North Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Team who have been conducting fresh produce food safety trainings throughout the southern region.
Travel Expense Reimbursement for Cooperative Extension Personnel
Personal vehicle mileage, one night hotel and registration will be covered for Cooperative Extension personnel who attend the training. Mileage and hotel will be paid on a reimbursement basis after the event upon receipt of the Extension travel form and hotel receipt.
Registration Information for Cooperative Extension Personnel:
Registration fee is waived for Cooperative Extension personnel. Please complete and return the registration form below via email to Kelly Gilkerson,[email protected].
Registration Information for Participants NOT Affiliated with Cooperative Extension: 
Registration for individuals not with the Cooperative Extension Service is $60. (Registration covers course instruction, GAPs training manual, and lunch both days.) Please complete and return the registration form below via email to Kelly Gilkerson, [email protected], AND send your check in the amount of $60 (payable to Clemson University) to Kelly Gilkerson, Dept. of Entomology, 114 Long Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634. Once your check has been received you will receive a confirmation of your registration via email. (Please include contact email information with your check correspondence)
Registration Deadlines:
Registration deadlines are as follows: May 18th for the Columbia training on June 1-2; June 28th for the Clemson training on July 13-14; Sept. 6th for the Charleston training on Sept. 21-22.
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REGISTRATION FORM
Fresh Produce Safety Training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
Yes, I plan to attend the training in:
_____ Columbia- June 1-2 at the Clarion Hotel
_____ Clemson- July 13-14 at the Hayden Conference Center
_____ Charleston- Sept. 21-22 at the Coastal REC
Name: ___________________________________________    
Affiliation: _________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________    
Email: ____________________________________________
_____I work with Clemson or SCSU Cooperative Extension
_____I am not affiliated with Cooperative Extension and my $60 registration fee is enclosed (Payable by check only.) Please make check out to:Clemson University and mail to: Kelly Gilkerson, Dept. of Entomology, 114 Long Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634