BISMARCK – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has scheduled a free training session for produce growers across the state.

“Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety should attend,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “Attending a session will satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement that requires at least one supervisor or responsible party on a farm to complete food safety training recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.”

The free session will be held Wednesday, Jan. 15, remotely. Registration is open to anyone in the United States; however, non-produce growers will be invoiced $100 to cover course materials after registration.

Topics to be covered include: produce safety, worker health, soil amendments, wildlife, agricultural water, postharvest handling and sanitation and developing a farm food safety plan.

There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions. The session runs from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. There will be a 30-minute break for lunch. To register, visit https://forms.office.com/g/Ct33hhgg5z.