Twilight Meeting: Produce Wash Station Design, Use and Maintenance |
Improving Efficiency & Complying with Food Safety Requirements
Event date/time:
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 - 4:00pm to 6:30pm
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 - 4:00pm to 6:30pm
Event location:
Atlas Farm
635 River Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
(note: this meeting is at the main farm on River Rd, and NOT at the Atlas Farm store on Routes 5 & 10 in S. Deerfield)
A functional wash and pack area can improve both workflow and produce safety. FSMA’s Produce Rule states that equipment, tools, and buildings must be of adequate design and able to be cleaned and properly maintained. We will discuss the range of options available for growers of different scales to meet these requirements. We’ll tour the wash house with a recirculating washer-conveyer at Atlas Farm with owner, Gideon Porth and hear about the design of a mobile wash station by Amanda Brown from the UMass Student Farm. We will also cover how to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and keep sanitation records. Extension Educators will be on-hand to give input and answer questions on the following topics:
Infrastructure upgrade decision-making – Chris Callahan, University of Vermont Extension Agricultural Engineer
Developing useful SOPs – Amanda Kinchla, UMass Food Science Extension
Produce safety regulations -- Lisa McKeag, UMass Extension
A light dinner will be provided.
Co-sponsored by UMass Extension and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
Contact:
Lisa McKeag
413-577-3976
lmckeag@umass.edu