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Jennifer Mathews
This fall the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety Team is rolling out two brand new classes as part of our
From the Ground Up initiative to support new farmers and all small-medium size farms. Our goal in
creating these two complementary programs is to give farmers the power to achieve success in
produce safety and business.
On Wednesday September 27, 2023, we will be debuting the new class called “From the Ground Up:
Produce Safety Planning for Beginning Farmers” held at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and
Extension Center, 283 Route 539, Cream Ridge, NJ from 10:00am to 2:00pm. We designed this class to
allow farmers to set themselves up for success in on-farm produce safety from the beginning,
instead of having to go back later to correct infrastructure, systems, or training. A farm that has
a well-established food safety culture is better able to meet market demands and consider
production changes when planning for the future. This hands-on training will give growers
actionable items they can do right away on their farm to improve their food safety practices.
Registration is $30.00 and includes lunch. Participants in the RU Ready to Farm Program are
eligible for a discounted registration fee. Everyone who registers will get a voucher to attend our
online “Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop” in October 2023 for free.
On Wednesday October 18th, 2023, we will be holding our first Online Food Safety Plan Workshop from
6:00pm – 8:00pm Eastern Time via Zoom. The two-hour writing workshop will guide farmers through the step-by-step process of writing the plan best suited for their operation. All attendees will
receive a customizable template to work with. A food safety plan can be used to standardize and
streamline the training of new employees. This saves time in training and guarantees all members of a farm’s team take the same actions under the same circumstances. Having an on-farm food safety plan can guide farmers’ actions around food safety, forecast risk, serve as a worker training tool, and aid with
overall organization.
Registration is $15.00 and free for everyone who attends our September 2023 program in Cream Ridge,
NJ.
Follow these links to register and learn more about each class:
https://go.rutgers.edu/1ete46go
https://go.rutgers.edu/5iua7ve7