Starting July 2024 we will start adding regular posts pertaining to all things produce safety! Events Announcements Partnership and Producer Spotlights Capacity Building Projects On-Farm Projects Greenhouse & Hightunnel Projects Packinghouse Projects Marketplace Projects
Some children participants at Families, Food, and Fun after-school program For many years, the whole farm to fork movement, and the increased demand for children to have access to more fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthier lifestyles, have propelled great strides in the National Farm to School movement. [...]
RVA's Urban Farm on Bainbridge St & W 9th St Tricycle Urban Agriculture has been working with Richmond communities since 2010, when it began Richmond's first Urban Farm. The work of Tricycle has not only grown literally in the size and number of its various farm and garden [...]
To follow up on the August 16, 2018 post, I wanted to start with some work we have been doing with The Conservation Fund and FRESHFARM Markets since early 2016. The Conservation Fund (CF) and FRESHFARM Markets (FFM) obtained funding from the USDA to provide food safety training and assistance [...]
On-farm Risk Assessment at Garner's Produce in Warsaw, VA, along with VCE-Westmoreland, Conservation Fund, and FRESHFARM Market Staff. ©The Conservation Fund Like all the efforts within Virginia Cooperative Extension, a critical component of the work of the Virginia Fresh Produce Food Safety Team is fostering and strengthening relationships [...]
PI: Vallotton, Co-PIs: Archibald, Boyer, DuBois, & Vargo Goal: In this project, the Fresh Produce Food Safety Team, in partnership with Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and Local Food Hub (LFH), conducted a market assessment for food procurement requirements and expectations related to food safety assurances [...]
PI: Strawn, Co-PI: Rideout Goal: The goal of the project is to determine the growth and survival of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes on Whole and Sliced Cucumbers held at ambient and refrigeration temperatures. Benefits: To provide science-based recommendations for reducing foodborne pathogen contamination of cucumbers during postharvest handling, transportation, [...]
PI: Boyer, Co-PI: Chase, Eifert, Chapman – NCSU, Harrison – UGA, Gibson, Shoulders – U of Ark., Sirsat – U of Houston Goal: The goal of the project is to equip farmers’ market vendors, managers, and consumers with both scientifically-based and practical behaviors. A Farmers’ Market Tool-kit will be [...]
PI: Boyer, Co-PI: Ponder, Chase, Archibald, Chapman - NCSU, Harrison -UGA Goal:The goal of this project is to assess microbial quality of fresh produce sold at farmers’ markets across VA and NC. Using the data collected we will incorporate new information into our training curriculum. Benefits: To further improve [...]
PI: Wiedmann/Cornell; Co-PI: Strawn Goal: The goal of this project is to (i) gain a better understanding of L. monocytogenes and Listeria spp. prevalence, persistence, and contamination patterns in packing houses and processing facilities and (ii) use this information to implement improved control strategies. Benefits: Data from this project [...]
