Fruit and vegetable growers are invited to a half-day workshop to learn how Good Agricultural Practices can improve the quality and safety of fresh produce as well as help access new markets, according to a press release. The training is designed for small- to medium-sized fruit and vegetable growers, but any farmer or gardener is welcome to attend.

Topics to be discussed include best practices to improve safety in growing, harvesting and handling of fresh fruits and vegetables — such as water testing, washing and packing, manure/compost use, low-cost handwashing stands and food safety recordkeeping.

According to the release, the group will also discuss GAP audits, provide a brief overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule and spend time outside discussing practical applications for harvest and washing in an adjacent donation garden.

The workshop will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at the History Center of Olmsted County, 1195 West Circle Drive SW, Rochester, MN 55902. The cost for the workshop is $15 and includes light morning refreshments, lunch, a folder with handouts and a certificate of attendance.

Register by Friday at z.umn.edu/gaps_workshops. A limited number of scholarships are available. For more information, contact Anne Sawyer, extension educator for on-farm food safety at sawye177@umn.edu or 651-480-7704.

To learn more about GAPs, GAP audits or the Food Safety Modernization Act  Produce Safety Rule, visit Extension’s GAPs Education Program online at z.umn.edu/growsafefood.