In collaboration with Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Department of Agriculture and Produce Safety Alliance, Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension Program recently held a Food Safety and GAPs Training course for Ag Producers. Twenty-seven producers from the surrounding area were trained on the latest produce safety rules as governed by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The course also included Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) training, a key credential for obtaining GAPs certification, a requirement for anyone who wishes to sell produce to retailers like Walmart and others. The GAP certificate is also beneficial to producers for auditing purposes as it conveys that the operation is has been trained on best practices. Participants who completed the Food Safety and GAPs course will receive an Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) certificate upon submitting the appropriate paperwork. Special thanks goes out to Texas Department of Agriculture for helping to underwrite portions of this program. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law by former President Barack Obama on January 4, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus of federal regulators from responding to contamination to preventing it.
Pictured: Food Safety and GAP Training Participants during a session
Angela Moore
Extension Associate
(936) 261-5002
almoore@pvamu.edu