Dorchester County

Registration Includes:
• Course Materials (Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v 1.2)

• Course Certificate from the Produce Safety Alliance upon successful completion of course materials

Who Should Attend?
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. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires

‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?
The trainers will cover content contained in these eight modules:

• Introduction to Produce Safety

• Role of Maryland Dept. of Agriculture and On-Farm Readiness Reviews

• Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training

• Soil Amendments

• Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use

• Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)

• Postharvest Handling and Sanitation

• How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, key parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module. There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions. Appropriate time will be made for breaks at the discretion of the instructors.

Participation requirements for in-person attendees include:
• Course attendance and participation will be monitored. Any attendee who does not participate for the duration of the course will not be eligible for certification.

• A hard-copy Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v1.2 will be available to each attendee prior to the course administration.

• Participants are expected to complete and return course evaluations within one week of completing the course.

Funding for this series of work described in this article is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007444 totaling $523,497 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

The 2024 Agronomy Meeting  will take place at 4:30 pm on February 22, 2024, at the Caroline County 4-H & Youth Park, located at 8230 Detour Rd., Denton, Md. 21629.

This event is free and counts for 2024 private pesticide and nutrient re-certifications.

Register to reserve a spot at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-agronomy-meeting-registration-780369625557?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Commercial Vegetable Growers throughout the region are invited to the 2024 Eastern Shore Vegetable Growers Meeting offered by the University of Maryland Extension.

Speakers will present on crop variety trials, weed management, tomato variety survey, watermelon spacing trial, pumpkin research, sweet corn IPM, MDA updates, and more!

2024 Poultry Grower Expo!

This event will include a tradeshow and educational sessions throughout the day, including generator maintenance, controller training, energy savings, summer readiness, and more.

Enjoy a free lunch and fellowship.

MD and DE Nutrient Management Credits Offered

Biosecurity is essential!  Take all precautions with clothes and footwear.

Please contact with any questions: Jon Moyle, jmoyle@umd.edu, Jenny Rhodes, jrhodes@umd.edu, Maegan Perdue, mperdue@umd.edu, Jennifer Timmons, jtimmons1@umes.edu, Georgie Cartanza, cartanza@udel.edu, and/or Holly Porter at porter@dcachicken.com

Date:  Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Time:  9 AM - 2 PM
Location:  Somerset County Civic Center, Crisfield Lane, Princess Anne, MD 21853
Registration to attend:  https://bit.ly/42vnpyj
For Sponsorship Opportunities:  http://tinyurl.com/2024growerexpo

Hosted by The Delmarva Poultry Team, UME, UMES, UDEL, DCA

Advanced Cover Cropping Strategies Workshop
March 1, 2024 12:00pm - 2:00 pm
Approved for 2 Maryland nutrient management credits
cover crop planning, species selection, management options, and practical considerations. We will feature a panel discussion with Aaron Cooper, operator of Cutfresh organics, an organic grain and vegetable operation, and Thelonoius Cook, operator of Mighty Thundercloud Edible Forest, a vegetable, herb, and cut flower operation. We will also learn from Dr. Dwayne Joseph of UMD Extension about how cover crops, coupled with conservation tillage and various IPM strategies, offer effective weed management, foster beneficial insect populations, and contribute to sustainable agricultural practices.

Learn about growing giant Miscanthus as a perennial crop in Maryland
Tour giant miscanthus growing on land facing flooding, salt-intrusion, and deer pressure
Receive nutrient management and CCA credits

This is an outdoor event.
Learn about giant miscanthus as a perennial alternative crop in Maryland.

Please join us on National Ag Day for a FREE film screening of this documentary film on soil health and climate change, hosted by UMD Extension and Talbot County in conjunction with the University of Delaware. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion with conservation and farming experts who will discuss the film and answer audience questions.

When: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, from 6pm-8pm

Where: Avalon Theatre (40 E Dover St, Easton, MD 21601)

Register: Register at: https://forms.gle/d9xzaMkTvPqYFudp9

Farmers around the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays are leaders in environmental stewardship. Many of the practices are used to protect
and promote healthy soils while also safeguarding working lands against extremes posed by climate change. This film follows three
family-owned farming operations on the Delmarva Peninsula who all care about and depend on soil.

View the trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J095-ClDT-k

The IAA offers nine majors to jump-start your career in agribusiness, sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, horticulture, landscaping, turfgrass management, or ag communications. We will explore areas of study, financial aid and scholarships, world-class facilities, campus life, and more!

This course is a discussion-based workshop bringing women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing, and the legal field.

There is plenty of time for questions, sharing, reacting, and connecting with your presenters and fellow participants. It's a relaxed, fun and dynamic way to learn, grow and meet other women in agriculture.

Mid Shore Maryland

6 sessions, 6:00pm-9:00pm

Wednesdays, February 21, 2024 - March 27, 2024

Location: QAC Extension Office

505 Railroad Avenue, Suite 4 Centreville, MD 21617

Virtual Option

6 sessions, 6:30pm-8:30pm

Wednesdays, February 21, 2024 - March 27, 2024

Location: Zoom

*reading and project assignments outside of class time about 1 hour per week

For more information call Shannon Dill at 410-822-1244 (sdill@umd.edu) or Jenny Rhodes at 410-758-0166 (jrhodes@umd.edu) or visit the website at www.extension.umd.edu/annies-project. 

Register online at: https://2024annies.eventbrite.com

Annie’s Project is approved for FSA Borrower Training which includes an additional workbook requirement.  Please contact Shannon Dill at 410-822-1244 for more information.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact Shannon Dill at 410-822-1244  on or before February 7, 2024.