Save the dates for this course designed to provide growers with regulatory certainty in a time of many regulatory changes. Leave winter school ready for a Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP) audit and the peace of mind that you are prepared to handle the requirements of: the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), EPA Worker Protection Standards (WPS), Nutrient Management Regulations, and changes in Employment Law. Get up to date on research and IPM practices important to vegetable growers and gain a competitive advantage in a heavily regulated market. Each farm will get detailed support in developing food safety and nutrient management plans, training employees in WPS, developing standard operating procedures compliant with regulations, and preparing an employee handbook and a whole farm IPM plan. This course is designed for farm owners, managers and employees.
Jan 10th – Soil and Nutrient Management. Instructors: Katie Campbell-Nelson (UMass Extension Vegetable Program) and Hotze Wijnja (MDAR Chemist, Crop and Pest Services)
Jan 17th – Food Safety Produce Rule Part 1. Instructors: Lisa McKeag (UMass Extension Vegetable Program) and Michael Botelho (MDAR Commonwealth Quality Program)
Jan 24th – Food Safety Produce Rule Part 2. Instructors: Lisa McKeag (UMass Extension Vegetable Program), Michael Botelho (MDAR Commonwealth Quality Program) and Amanda Kinchla (UMass Extension Food Science Extension Faculty)
Jan 31st – EPA Worker Protection Standards. Instructors: Natalia Clifton (UMass Extension Pesticide Education) and TBD
Feb 7th – Advanced Topics in Integrated Pest Management. Instructors: Angie Madeiras (UMass Extension Plant Diagnostician), Sue Scheufele (UMass Extension Vegetable Program)
Feb 14th – Employee Management and Labor Laws. Instructors: TBD
Feb 21st – Incentive Programs (NRCS, MDAR, SARE) and Risk Management. Instructors: Tom Smiarowski and Paul Russell (UMass Extension Risk Management Specialists)
Feb 28th – Snow Date.