University of Maryland Eastern Shore to Host Free GAP Training for Fruit and Vegetable Producers
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) will host a free Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Introduction to the Produce Safety Rule Training on Saturday, December 12, 2026. The eight-hour course, offered by the Plant Science Food Safety Group at the University of Maryland, UMES Extension, and the Maryland Department of Agriculture, will take place at the UMES Research, Extension and Teaching Farm in Princess Anne, Maryland. This training is open to all fruit and vegetable producers, regardless of their growing methods, including conventional, aquaponic, hydroponic, mushroom, microgreens, or controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The primary goal of GAP training is to educate producers on minimizing the risk of cross-contamination of their produce with human pathogens. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will receive a certificate from the Maryland Department of Agriculture Food Quality Assurance Program, which is essential for an operation to become GAP certified after an MDA ...