Congratulations to participants of the “Enhancing the Safety of Locally Grown Produce” training. This training shared information regarding best practices dealing with fresh produce.

Buying locally grown produce at the farmers market is a great way to ensure your family is getting the freshest food possible, but it doesn’t guarantee that the produce is safer. Just like any food, locally grown food must be handled safely on the farm and in the markets to make sure it is safe when it lands on the dinner table. More and more, consumers are looking to local farmers as a source for the food they feed their families. The reasons cited are freshness of the products, getting to meet and talk to the farmer producing the food, leaving less of carbon footprint to be better stewards of the environment, and having safe food. In order for produce to be safe, it has to be kept safe from the farm all the way to the market. A variety of programs are offered by Virginia Cooperative Extension to promote food safety for a variety of audiences from farmers to chefs. The Patrick County Extension office would like to congratulate the participants of the “Enhancing the Safety of Locally Grown Produce” training. This training shared information regarding best practices dealing with fresh produce. Participants received certificates regarding their participation in the training that was a combined effort on between Virginia Tech and Virginia State University Cooperative Extension, Clemson Cooperative Extension, and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Family Consumer Sciences Extension Agent Amanda Wingfield along with Agriculture Extension Agent Travis Bunn presented information at the training on Enhancing the Safety of Local Grown Produce to local producers. Attending training sessions provide opportunities to learn, as well as a chance to be a valuable voice for future programs. Surveys often following trainings are used to compile data regarding what best practices are currently in place, and what may be useful for planning additional programs in the future. If you would like to learn more about what is happening in extension, please call your local office. Pictured: (Left to right: Travis Bunn, Janet Ashby, Larry Roark, Debbe Noonekester, Amanda Wingfield, and Glen Nergart