UGA Developing & Implementing GAPs and GMPs for HACCP-Based Food Safety for the Fresh Produce Industry
Tuesday, March 2 - Thursday, March 4, 2010
240 Food Science Building
University of Georgia Campus [map]
Athens, GA 30602-7610
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Food safety is critical to all produce industry stakeholders. In addition to being a major public health issue, food safety events, such as foodborne illness outbreaks, can have a severely adverse economic impact on growers, packers and shippers. Based on consumer pressure, many wholesale buyers and major retailers have initiated independent verification programs to certify that the produce they purchase is safe. The implementation of this food safety training on farms, in packing sheds and in other produce operations will allow produce suppliers to continue to competitively market their products.
This course is now accredited by the International HACCP Alliance. Successful completion of the course and exam provides HACCP certification, which buyers are now requiring of fresh produce suppliers.
What will I get out of this course?
This hands-on workshop will teach participants how to develop and document Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Sanitary Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and Good Management Practices (GMPs) for farm and field operations, packing facilities, cold storage operations and produce shippers.
Specific break-out sessions will use HACCP principles to teach participants to identify and prevent food safety hazards, set preventive/control measures and control limits, develop control and monitoring procedures, document and verify the results of their efforts, as established by the International HACCP Alliance.
Participants will also learn how to use microbial testing as a verification tool for audit compliance. The goal of the interactive sessions is to assist participants in developing a Food Safety Plan that they can implement in their specific operations.
Related Files:
Who Should Attend:
This workshop is targeted to fresh produce growers, packers, shippers and distributors, assisting them in developing and customizing their own food safety/security programs. Managers, supervisors and food safety specialists of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry, as well as third party auditors in charge of assessing food safety/security programs will also benefit from attending this program.
Cancellation and Other Policies:
To cancel, make a substitution or verify registration, call (706) 542-2574 or email
EFS@uga.edu. No charge for substitutions. Cancellations received before Jan. 29 will be refunded, less a $35.00 handling fee.
Cancellations by Feb. 12 will receive a 50% refund; NO REFUND if received after Feb. 12, 2010 or no show.
General Hotel Information:
Participants are responsible for their own lodging. A block of rooms will be held until Jan. 29, 2010 at the Foundry Park Inn, 295 East Dougherty Street, in downtown Athens. Call(706) 549-7020 or 1-866-928-4367 and request “UG2915” to get special rate of $92.00 USD per night (2 double or 1 king, plus tax). A shuttle to and from the course will be provided by FPI.
Travel Information:
Airline access to Athens is available into Athens Municipal Airport (via Charlotte, NC) or Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which is about 90 minutes away from Athens via ground transportation.
Ride AAA Airport Express shuttle to the Foundry Park Inn - for reservations 1-800-354-7874 or online at
www.aaaairportexpress.com.
NOTE: No public parking is available at the Food Science Building. Please park in the South Campus Parking Deck adjacent to the Georgia Center at 1197 South Lumpkin Street. From there, it is a short walk to the Food Science Building. See the map and print out more detailed directions on our website
www.EFSonline.uga.edu.
Sponsors and Sponsorship Information:
The University of Georgia Food Science Extension Outreach Program, the United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA), the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), and the Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) are sponsoring this expanded three-day produce specific HACCP-based certification program designed to teach safe produce handling practices.
For more information please contact:
Julie Jacocks
