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FREE Produce Washing Workshop

May Produce Safety Training

Extension Homesteading Webpage

Food System Resources & Opportunities

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Produce Washing Workshop in Saline County

FREE and Open to the Public

🥦 What are the best practices for washing/packing produce?

😷 Why should I consider using sanitizer?

🪣 How do I choose a sanitizer and use it safely?

🫧 How can I set up a basic wash/pack system cheaply?

Join our Arkansas Produce Safety Team on Saturday, March 30th from 9am - 12noon in Benton for a free workshop. Dr. Amanda Philyaw Perez, David Hill, and Sarah Bakker will answer all of your pressing questions on washing and packaging produce, showing a basic wash/pack setup that anyone can create using items from home, and doing a hands-on sanitizer activity!

Thank you to Saline County Arkansas Extension Office for hosting.

We plan to have more workshops in other locations later this year, so stay tuned!

Questions? Contact Sarah Bakker here.

May Produce Safety Grower Training

Last REMOTE Option for 2024!

Who should attend

Anyone who grows, harvests, packs and handles fresh fruits and vegetables.

Why you should attend

On-farm food safety practices are vital in the produce industry. Many farms are now required to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. This training will educate growers on that Rule.

What you receive

Upon completion of this training, participants receive a certificate satisfying the requirement 112.22(c) in the Produce Safety Rule. Attendance during entire training required for receipt.

Training is May 29th-30th

REGISTRATION CLOSES

MAY 22nd

Training manual provided

This is a REMOTE (virtual) training. Participants must have the following technology to participate:

1) Zoom video conferencing software

2) Web camera and microphone

3) Internet access

Participant attendance and engagement will be monitored. Participants are only eligible for PSA/AFDO Certificate of Course Completion if they are present for ALL modules of the course.

Questions? Contact Rip Weaver here.

New Homesteading Website for Arkansas

Cooperative Extension Offers Self-Sufficiecy Resources

Hey, Homesteaders and those interested in becoming more self-succificient!

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service now has an entire webpage dedicated to research-based resources on homesteading right here in Arkansas.

Topics include:

Food Preservation

Vegetable Gardening

Beekeeping

Selling Homemade Foods & the Arkansas Food Freedom Act

Keeping Backyard Chickens

Livestock & Pasture Management

Making Homemade Cleaners & Other DIY Products

Emergency Preparedness

And SO MUCH MORE!

Learn all you can for FREE from our experts through blogs, podcasts, fact sheets, videos, and social media posts by visiting the website today!

Food System Resources & Opportunities

CLICK THE IMAGE TO ACCESS THE RESOURCE & OPPORTUNITY

HANDBOOK 📖

2024 Southeastern US Vegetable Crop Handbook

The Southeastern Vegetable Extension Workers Group is proud to offer the 25th edition of the handbook -- a resource for growers, crop advisers, county educators, Extension agents, and specialists throughout the southeastern United States.

This handbook was developed from research and Extension projects conducted throughout the region. A practical resource that conveniently fits on your dashboard, it contains information that you need to manage your vegetable crops.

Get up-to-the-minute information on:

🌱 which varieties to plant

🌱 planting dates

🌱 fertilizer recommendations

🌱 cover crop selection and conservation tillage options

🌱 pesticide selection

🌱 grafting

🌱 fertigation

🌱 plasticulture

🌱 postharvest handling

🌱 alternative pest management tools and suggestions

🌱 produce safety

🌱 and much more!

GRANT/FUNDING 💲

Arkansas Farmers Market Promotion Program

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is pleased to partner with the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas for the ninth annual Arkansas Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP). The FMPP provides funding assistance for the state’s farmers markets to serve their communities as consumer interest in locally grown and made products continues to increase.

The following promotional items may be funded under the program:

1️⃣ Signage listing names, seasons, times of operation, and location details

2️⃣ Local traditional advertising

 3️⃣ Social media campaigns

Applications are open until funds are no longer available.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY