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WSU Symposium -
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Good Agricultural Practices Overview. The safety of food products requires a commitment at every step in the food chain and begins on the farm. Several recent widely publicized outbreaks of food borne illnesses have identified the farm or growing area as the source of the pathogens involved. Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) are guidelines for growers and handlers to minimize the risk of pathogens getting to consumers via produce and other raw materials. Application of these guidelines will be discussed throughout our program. GAPs Implementation – Producer Experiences. Producer experiences with using GAPs to manage food safety on the farm will be discussed, including areas that need to be strengthened to promote adoption and benefits to GAPs adoption. Food Safety Issues associated with Fruits & Vegetables. Several highly publicized outbreaks associated with vegetables and fruits have occurred recently, bringing increased attention to food safety for growers, packers, processors and consumers. What pathogens are most likely to be present in produce, and what practices are available to limit pathogen presence in produce? An overview of bacterial pathogen characteristics will be presented to provide a framework for discussion of how GAPs, processing interventions and consumer practices can reduce pathogen risk in produce. Famer’s Market Perspective. The perspective of a farmer’s market manager regarding food safety issues will be provided, including representation of vendors and working with regulatory agencies. Pre-Harvest Issues: Manure Management and Water Quality. Manure management is critical to food safety on the farm. Practices related to raw manure use and processes to reduce pathogens during composting will be discussed. Water resources for crops, sanitation and employees contribute to on-farm food safety. The ability of water to introduce foodborne pathogens will be discussed as well as a system for assessing water resources and safety. Harvester Hygiene Programs and Food Safety Overview. Humans can introduce pathogens to foods, so communicating the importance of good personal hygiene to all members who handle food products is critical. A “hands on” activity, Germ City: Clean Hands, Healthy People will offer participants an opportunity to assess the contribution of handwashing to food safety. The roles of cleaning and sanitation in relation to hand hygiene will also be discussed. Many food safety management systems use indicator organisms to monitor program effectiveness. The relationship between bacterial indicators and foodborne pathogens will be discussed. Further information on food safety and foodborne pathogens will also be presented. Post-Harvest: Food Safety in Harvesting, Transportation, and Storage. Opportunities for contamination and recontamination of raw agricultural produce during and after harvest abound. Harvesting tools and aids, transporting containers and vehicles, and animals in fields can be sources and are usually controllable. Storage facilities must be properly maintained and operated to assure maintenance of safe products. GAPs System: Bringing it All Together. A panel discussion with food safety regulators from the WSDA, DOH Food Safety Program and symposium speakers will offer participants a forum for discussion of issues related to GAPs and food safety. Program Evaluation. Your evaluation of the symposium will provide vital information to improve future workshops on GAPs. This symposium was organized as part of an ongoing effort by a partnership between a multi-disciplinary group of WSU faculty, commodity and regulatory partners.
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Quick Timeline
Friday, November 7
7:00 am -
9:00 am - Symposium Registration & Coffee
8:30 am - 4:30 pm - Symposium: Food Safety for
Farmers
3:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Tilth Conference Registration
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm - Tilth Conference Welcome
Reception
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Dinner
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm - Films: Growing Awareness & King
Corn
Saturday, November 8
7:00 am -
10:00 am - Conference Registration
7:00 am - 8:00 am - Breakfast
8:45 am - 10:00 am - Keynote Address
10:00 am - 10:30 am - Coffee Break
10:30 am - Noon - Workshop Session A
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm - Workshop Session B
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm - Coffee Break
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm - Workshop Session C
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Wine Tasting
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm - Dinner
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm - Film - Good Food
8:00 pm - 11:00 pm - Dance with Spoonshine
Sunday, November 9
7:30 am -
8:30 am - Coffee
7:30 am - 8:30 am - Breakfast
8:30 am - 10:00 am - Tilth
Producers Annual Meeting & Elections
10:00 am - 10:30 am - Coffee Break
10:30 am - Noon - Workshop Session D
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm - Workshop Session E