Food Safety Listening Sessions

Writer:
Laura A. Kunkle
opgma@ofa.org
614-487-1117

Source:
Doug Doohan, OSU Extension, fruit and vegetable crops
doohan.1@osu.edu
330-202-3593

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A series of listening sessions has been
scheduled for Ohio produce growers to learn more about two
new food safety proposals -- one national and another
statewide.

The Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association (OPGMA)
is organizing the sessions, said Doug Doohan, fruit and
vegetable specialist with Ohio State University Extension
and a leader of the Ohio Roundtable on Safe Production of
Fresh Produce. The OPGMA was awarded funding from the Ohio
Department of Agriculture (through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program) for the
development of an "Ohio Fresh Produce Marketing
Agreement." OPGMA has begun developing an Ohio-specific
food safety standard for fresh produce that takes into
consideration the climate, commodities and cultural
practices unique to Ohio fresh fruit and vegetable
growers. In addition, other proposed marketing agreements
and regulatory programs for produce growers and marketers
are in development at the national level.

OPGMA will be conducting seven listening sessions around
the state to inform Ohio growers about the national
proposals and the Ohio project, which is an alternative to
the proposed national standards. The intent of these
listening sessions is to:

Provide a food safety update on proposed national programs
and how they would affect Ohio growers.

Explain how the Ohio Fresh Produce Marketing Agreement
would provide an alternative to the national programs.

Outline the action steps an individual grower or operation
should take to prepare and protect one's business.

Answer questions and receive input regarding the design
and implementation of an Ohio Fresh Produce Marketing
Agreement.

The primary presenter at the sessions will be Karl Kolb, a
scientist and member of Ohio Roundtable on Safe Production
of Fresh Produce. Also presenting will be members of OSU
Extension's Fruit and Vegetable Food Safety Team, made up
of state specialists and county educators, and the OPGMA.

The sessions are scheduled for:

Northeast Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 6-8 p.m., Mt. Hope
Auction, 8076 State Route 241, Mt. Hope, Ohio; and Friday,
Nov. 13, 8-10 a.m., Hilton Garden Inn Garnet Room #2, 4900
Emerald Ct. SW, Cleveland, Ohio.

Northwest Ohio, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 9-11 a.m., OSU
Extension's Agricultural Business Enhancement Center, 639
S. Dunbridge Road, Suite 4, Bowling Green, Ohio.

OPGMA Congress, Wednesday Jan. 20, Kalahari Convention
Center, Sandusky, Ohio.

For additional information, contact the Ohio Produce
Growers and Marketers Association at 614-487-1117 or
opgma@ofa.org, or see its Web site at
http://www.opgma.org.

Join us afterward to discuss the information presented at this meeting.

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