With the increased interest by consumers for safe and wholesome locally produced foods, the number of farmers markets and marketers continues to rise. At the same time, consumers are seeking assurance the produce and baked goods they purchase have been handled in a way that assures the highest level of regard for the consumers health and well being.

Contamination of fruits and vegetables can spread quickly, and washing the produce does not totally eliminate potentially harmful microorganisms. In the right environment, bacteria replicate every 20 minutes and some types, such as E.coli O157:H7, cause serious illness with as few as 10 cells. The number of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with fresh produce has doubled in the last 30 years and the responsibility of assuring the public they are providing a safe food supply rests with the growers.

Farmers Market Quality Assurance, or GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) training as some call it, is a workshop for growers which simply brings to light concerns that have the potential to compromise the safety of food as it’s grown or produced at home on the farm and then offered to the consumer in a farmers market environment. The Fairfield County office of Ohio State University Extension will host such a workshop on March 18, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Fairfield County Ag Center in Lancaster.

Featured speaker Troy Cooper, OSU Extension Horticulture Educator in Knox County, will help participants explore a variety of common concerns and precautions as they grow and market produce, plants, meat and baked goods directly to the consumer. Those who complete this 2 hour workshop will receive a certificate of Farm Market Quality Assurance/GAP Training.

To register for this free workshop, complete the on-line registration form under this link, or call OSU Extension at 740.653.5419.