NC Fresh Produce Safety Task Force - Food Safety Modernization Act Update

NC Fresh Produce Safety Task Force invites you to attend a free webinar to learn more about the recent Food Safety Modernization Act.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday January 26th at 3 pm.

The webinar will be presented by Debbie Hamrick with NC Farm Bureau Federation, who is a co-chair of NC Fresh Produce Safety Task Force's Working Group 3: Industry and Policy. The webinar will be moderated by Diane Ducharme, a co-chair of the NC Fresh Produce Safety Task Force, with NC MarketReady at NC State University.

There will be opportunities during the presentation to interact with the presenters and ask questions regarding the content of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

For more information about this webinar, contact Diane Ducharme, GAPs Coordinator at diane_ducharme@ncsu.edu.

Instructions to join the webinar:
Join session: http://elluminate.wolfware.ncsu.edu:80/join_meeting.html?meetingId=1261499985538

If this is the first time you will be using Elluminate, you may be prompted to download some software which may take anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes depending upon your internet connection speed. You can pre-cnfigure your system with the required software by going to the support page located at: http://www.elluminate.com/Support/
Please make sure your computer has a microphone and speakers to be able to talk and hear while you are in the Elluminate session. You may join the session 15 minutes prior to the start time. This session will be recorded for viewing at a late date.

Business Side of Agritourism Workshop 2011

The Business Side of Agritourism Workshop will take place on Thursday January 27, 2011. The workshop is presented by NC Cooperative Extension Service and NC A&T.

This year the workshop will take place at the historic Cataloochee Guest Ranch (http://www.cataloocheeranch.com/) in Maggie Valley, NC (Haywood County). The Cataloochee Ranch was founded in 1933 and continues to welcome visitors to its cabins, trails, activities and spectacular views.

We have some exciting topics this year including:

• The history of Cataloochee Ranch
• How to make your farm positively newsworthy
• New ideas for pick your own
• Farmstays
• Building a walking trail on your farm
• High adventure activities
• Using social media to market your enterprise
• Developing food communities
• Developing birding trails
• Being a land ethics leader
• Incorporating a commercial kitchen

To view the entire schedule or for more information, visit this link to the brochure.

There will also be time to network with other farmers in the area engaging or interested in engaging in agritourism.

The cost for the conference is only $40 if you sign-up by this Friday January 21 (extended from January 19). Call the Henderson County Cooperative Extension Office at 828.697.4891 to reserve your spot as soon as possible. A registration form can also be found here.

If you are an overnight guest, Cataloochee Guest Ranch is offering accomodations for Wednesday night at $70 pp. Visit their site for contact information http://www.cataloocheeranch.com/

Winter 2011 Small Fruits Newsletter

The latest edition of the Southern Small Fruit Consortium's Small Fruit Newsletter is now available. You can download the pdf here.

In this edition:

• Possibility of Research and Promotion Program for Blackberries?
• Fumigant Regulations - Information for Handlers
  
• The Great Glyphosate Debate...Too Much of a Good Thing?
• Two New Virus Diseases in Rubus: Blackberry Yellow Vein and Blackberry Crumbly Fruit
• Red Cell, Red Drupelet, Color Reversion: What's Happening to those Packaged Blackberries?
• Blackberry and Raspberry Seasonal Checklist
• Quarterly Strawberry Plasticulture Checklist
  

Farmers Market Management Workshop

On January 24 Asheville City Market's manager, Mike McCreary will hold a "Farmers Market Management" workshop from 10 am to 2 pm in Asheville.

Topics for the workshop include:

• Models for effective management
• Comprehensive market regulations and the "rule repair" process
• Resolving market issues and keeping the peace
• Risk management resources
• Practical problem solving
  

The discussion will focus on the needs and issues raised by participants as part of an ongoing farmers market support effort in the coming year.

Registration is $15 and lunch will be provided.

For more information or to register:

Visit the following link: http://www.asapconnections.org/FMMInfo.html