Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and Midcoast Farmers Alliance present the second program in the 2018 Farmer and Gardener Workshop Series, Food Safety for Midcoast Farmers. Join Jason Lilley, Sustainable Agriculture Professional with UMaine Extension in Cumberland County, to learn how to keep food safe from farm to market on Thursday, March 29 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Knox-Lincoln Cooperative Extension Office at 377 Manktown Rd. in Waldoboro.

A major reason that farmers commit their lives to producing food is to provide healthy sustenance for their communities. While no one intentionally contaminates food products, there several ways that food-borne diseases can enter the food stream. Lilley, who is currently involved in a multi-regional project to research the benefits and food safety risks of manure use on organic vegetable farms, will focus on identifying hazards on the farm that could lead to contamination and highlight practices that can be implemented to minimize the risk of food-borne illness. Many of these practices are mandated by the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Although Lilley will discuss the basics of who is required to comply with FSMA and what is mandate under this law, this program is not intended to meet the required FSMA training standards.

For more information and to register for this free program, contact the conservation district at 596-2040, cathrine@knox-lincoln.org, or visit www.knox-lincoln.org/beginning-farmer.