PULLMAN, Wash. — Good agricultural and food safety practices workshops will be offered by Washington State University for direct marketers of food and agricultural products. Eight free workshops are scheduled across the state in January and February.
“The objective of the workshops is to increase the understanding of critical food safety issues by people who sell agricultural products at roadside stands and farmers markets,” said Richard Dougherty, WSU food science specialist.
Good agricultural practices, known as GAPs, are on-the- farm practices that affect safety of raw products intended to be sold without further processing, Dougherty said, including practices that address water quality, worker sanitation and proper use of animal manures.
The first workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jan. 22, at the Days Inn, 221 N.E. Chkalov Dr., Vancouver. Call the hotel at (360) 256-7044 for directions.
Additional workshops will be held Jan. 27, Union Gap; Feb. 2, Spokane; Feb. 3, Wenatchee; Feb. 4, Mount Vernon; Feb. 5, Renton; Feb. 6, Bremerton; and Feb. 9, Puyallup.
Contact Dougherty at (509) 335-0972 or dougherty@wsu.edu for more information on the program. For meeting location information call Extension Meeting Management and Program Support at (509) 335-2811.
The workshops are sponsored by the Small Farm Direct Marketing Program of the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
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