TO REGISTER NOW, GO TO:  http://www.producesafetyproject.org/discussion_series/register

WHO’S INVITED: Fruit and vegetable growers, extension educators, food retailers, consultants, produce trade association personnel and other interested stakeholders

WHY: The Food and Drug Administration is going [...]]]> March 11, 2010
Public Meeting On FDA Produce Safety Rule. 8;30 AM -5 PM
The Blackwell Inn, 2110 Tuttle Park Place Columbus, OH 43210
614-247-4077
Contact: Caroline Hubbard, 202-687-2976
cch48@georgetown.edu
www.producesafetyproject.org.

TO REGISTER NOW, GO TO:  http://www.producesafetyproject.org/discussion_series/register

WHO’S INVITED:
Fruit and vegetable growers, extension educators, food retailers, consultants, produce trade association personnel and other interested stakeholders

WHY:
The Food and Drug Administration is going to establish a nation-wide produce safety standard for the growing, harvesting and packing of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Help make certain FDA has all the facts it needs. Come and join a discussion that needs to be informed by your expertise and on-the-ground knowledge

Topics addressed will include:
Compost
Wildlife/Environmental Concerns
Water Quality
Worker Health & Hygiene

Co-sponsored by the National GAPs Program at Cornell University in Rochester, NY, the Food Animal Health Research Program at the Ohio State University in Columbus, OH and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the University of Maryland, the meetings will encourage a robust discussion on the science of and practical considerations for growing, harvesting and packing of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The FDA has announced its intention to publish a proposed rule by October 2010.

We have partnered with Ohio State University South Centers and the Ohio Department of Agriculture to present Ohio’s first statewide farmers market conference.  This two-day conference will cover topics such as direct marketing,  insurance and funding.

Farmers’ market managers and vendors are invited to attend to [...]]]> March 4-5, 2010 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg

We have partnered with Ohio State University South Centers and the Ohio Department of Agriculture to present Ohio’s first statewide farmers market conference.  This two-day conference will cover topics such as direct marketing,  insurance and funding.

Farmers’ market managers and vendors are invited to attend to network and share ideas that will improve their market.  Members of the Farmers’ Market Management Network will receive a discount on conference registration.

See all Details at:  http://ohiofarmersmarkets.osu.edu/conference.htm

All market managers, farmer/vendors are welcome to join us to share and learn about how we can build stronger farmers’ markets in Ohio.

Lori Panda of Ohio Proud will give a [...]]]> Our annual meeting will be this Wednesday, Jan. 27th, 2010
at 10 a.m. at the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture, Bromfield Building
8995 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH  43068

All market managers, farmer/vendors are welcome to join us to share and learn about how we can build stronger farmers’ markets in Ohio.

Lori Panda of Ohio Proud will give a brief update on their work with Farmers’ Markets and grant opportunities. We will review our organizations work in 2009 and discuss what’s coming in 2010. Memberships will be available. Members will elect board members.

For more information please visit http://fmmn.org

I hope to see you there.

Mayda Sanchez-Shingler
Secretary, Farmers’ Market Management Network

USDA Sets Hearing for Proposed National Marketing Agreement for Leafy Green Vegetables AMS No. 161-09

Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998 jimmie.turner@usda.gov Billy Cox [...]]]> As food safety concerns continue to be topics of discussion among growers and policy makers, I thought I would pass along this following information.  There will be a hearing in Columbus on Oct. 6, 2009.  Details are below.

USDA Sets Hearing for Proposed National Marketing Agreement for Leafy Green Vegetables
AMS No. 161-09

Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998
jimmie.turner@usda.gov
Billy Cox (202) 720-8998
billy.cox@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the dates and locations of seven hearings related to a proposed national marketing agreement for leafy green vegetables. The hearings will be held September and October 2009.

A cross-section of producers and handlers from the fresh-produce industry proposed the establishment of a marketing agreement to facilitate the practical application of Good Agricultural Practices, Good Handling Practices, and Good Manufacturing Practices guidelines published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

If established, only handlers who sign on to the marketing agreement would be subject to the requirements of the accord. Signatory handlers could only handle leafy green vegetables (domestic or imported) that meet the requirements of the program.

The hearings provide the public an opportunity to learn more about the proposed agreement and to offer comments in support of or opposition to the agreement. The hearings will be held at the following locations from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (local time) or as determined by the presiding administrative law judge:

Sept. 22-24, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey, 1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey, Calif.

Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, at the Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk, 1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Fla.

Oct. 6, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Room D130, 400 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio.

Oct. 8, at the Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park, 16455 East 40th Circle, Aurora, Colo.

Oct. 14-15, at the Yuma Civic Center, Yuma Room, 1440 Desert Hills Drive, Yuma, Ariz.

Oct. 20, at the Renaissance Syracuse Hotel, 701 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, N.Y.

Oct. 22, at the Charlotte Marriot Executive Park, 5700 Westpark Drive, Charlotte, N.C.

The proposal and the hearing notice will be published in the Sept. 3, 2009, Federal Register. A copy of the proposal is also available on the home page of the Agricultural Marketing Service’s Web site.

Copies may be obtained from Antoinette Carter, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237, phone: (202)720-2491, or fax: (202)720-8938; or Melissa Schmaedick, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Northwest Marketing Field Office, AMS, USDA, 1220 SW Third Avenue, Room 385, Portland, OR 97204; phone: (503)326-2724, or fax: (503)326-7440.

An electronic version of this news release can be obtained via the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/news/newsrel.html.

Posted by:
Christie Welch, Farmers’ Market Specialist
The Business Development Network
at The OSU South Centers
1864 Shyville Rd.
Piketon, OH 45661
welch.183@osu.edu
740-289-3727 Ext. 234
800-860-7232 (Ohio only) Ext. 234
740-289-4591 (Fax)
http://ohiofarmersmarkets.osu.edu

FMMN meeting minutes 4-20-2009