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Resources by Amber Vallotton

Title Available As Summary Date ID Author
Virginia Virtual Farm to Table: Hydroponic Salad Greens Jul 2, 2020 4H-911NP
Virginia Whole Farm Planning: An Educational Program for Farm Startup and Development
The purpose of the Introduction to Whole Farm Planning module is to help beginning farmers and ranchers in Virginia make informed farm planning decisions by introducing them to the whole farm planning process.
Mar 2, 2022 AEE-50P (ALCE-289P)
Successful Farm Startup for Beginners: Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Program
Starting a farm is an exciting yet challenging opportunity. As with any new undertaking, there is a lot to think about before beginning a farm venture. Gaining access to farmland, viable markets, capital and credit, as well as hands-on training and resources are some of the most important startup issues to consider as part of the planning process. You are likely asking yourself, “Where do I begin?” The purpose of this resource is to help newcomers make informed decisions at the start of the planning process. This “quick guide” is primarily designed for beginning farmers and ranchers, but service providers will also find this resource useful for answering questions about the farm startup process. This foundational work offers a valuable starting point on which to create a successful whole farm plan for a new agricultural venture.
May 12, 2020 AEE-67P
Are you a Beginning Farmer?
You are likely asking yourself, “Where do I begin?” The purpose of this tool is to help you gather a solid basis of information as you consider your “start-up” situation. Once you have completed as much as you can of this worksheet (or if you have any questions along the way), please bring it to your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office to get guidance on where to go next: http://www.ext.vt.edu/offices/index.html. Good Luck! We look forward to helping you bring your farm vision to life!
May 12, 2020 ANR-91NP
Battling Resistance: Judicious Antibiotic Use in Beef and Dairy Cattle Mar 29, 2023 DASC-106NP
Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Worker Health, Hygiene and Training Sep 23, 2022 FST-278NP
Ley de Modernización de la Inocuidad de los Alimentos Norma de Inocuidad de los Productos Agrícolas Frescos: Salud Higiene y Capacitación de los Trabajadores (Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Worker Health, Hygiene and Training) May 30, 2018 FST-293S
Susceptibility of Produce to Infiltration: Risk Factors and Mitigations May 30, 2019 FST-320NP
Demystifying Agricultural Production Water Testing under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule
Under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR), agricultural water is defined as “water used in covered activities on covered produce where water is intended to, or is likely to, contact the harvestable portion of the crop”. Production water is agricultural water used during produce growing activities prior to harvesting. Examples of production water include irrigation, fertigation, spray applications, dust abatement, frost protection, among others. Remember production water has to meet the definition of agricultural water to be regulated under the FSMA PSR. This document will cover why to test your production water, what to test your production water for, how to sample your production water, and most importantly how to interpret your production water test results.
Sep 9, 2024 FST-350NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 May 28, 2020 FST-373NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Performing a Hazard Analysis Jan 20, 2022 FST-400NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: General Practices Jan 20, 2022 FST-401NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Pre-Plant Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-402NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Production Stage Jan 31, 2022 FST-403NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Harvest Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-404NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Post-Harvest Handling Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-405NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Preparing for GAP Certification Jan 20, 2022 FST-406NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Accessing Virginia Market Sectors - Module 1
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-460NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Performing A Hazard Analysis - Module 2
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-461NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: General Practices - Module 3
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-462NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Pre-Plant Stage - Module 4
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-463NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Production Stage - Module 5
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-464NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Harvest Stage - Module 6
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-465NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Post-Harvest Handling - Module 7
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-466NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: The GAP Audit Process - Module 8
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-467NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: GAP Manual Preparation - Module 9
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-468NP
GAPs and FSMA – an Overview for Hop Growers in Virginia
Food safety is a hot topic for hop growers and brewers. With multiple acronyms for various practices, standards, and regulations: GAPs, FSMA, PSR, PCR, and more; the confusion is understandable. Let’s examine where the small-acreage hop grower fits in. This fact sheet serves as an orientation to these standards,regulations, and practices as they may apply to hops; it is in no way a complete set of guidelines or substitute for training.
Dec 20, 2016 HORT-237NP
A Guide to the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification Process Jan 24, 2018 HORT-252NP (HORT-285NP)
Guide to Identifying Food Safety Hazards in Greenhouse Systems
According to the United States Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture, sales from greenhouse-grown food crops equaled around $800 million in the U.S. Crops grown included tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and berries, with hydroponic production operations making up about 64% of the total production (cwt) (USDA Census of Agriculture, 2012). Demand for greenhouse-grown produce continues to increase, providing growers with unique opportunities to tap into this expanding market. Although greenhouse systems provide a more protected environment than field-grown systems, it is important to understand the unique food safety risks and possible sources of contamination when growing produce in these systems. Identifying food safety hazards are necessary to implementing practices that reduce the risk of contamination during the pre-plant, production, harvest, and post-harvest handling stages. Use the checklist below to guide you in asking important questions targeting possible risks at each of the greenhouse system stages.
Jul 10, 2017 HORT-254NP
Antimicrobial Resistance: What is it and What’s at Stake? Mar 29, 2023 HORT-257NP
How Do We Measure Antimicrobial Resistance? Mar 29, 2023 HORT-258NP
The Phenomenon of Antimicrobial Resistance: A One-Health Issue Mar 29, 2023 HORT-259NP
Understanding the Public Health Risks of Antimicrobial Resistance Mar 29, 2023 HORT-260NP
The Journey of Antibiotics from Farm to Fork Mar 29, 2023 HORT-261NP
What is the Veterinary Feed Directive? Mar 29, 2023 HORT-262NP
Accessing Virginia’s Regional Wholesale Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 24, 2023 HORT-271NP
Accessing Virginia’s Market Sectors: Fresh Produce Purchasing Considerations Apr 24, 2023 HORT-272NP
Accessing Virginia’s Retail Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 24, 2023 HORT-273NP
Accessing Virginia’s Restaurant Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 25, 2023 HORT-274NP
Accessing Virginia’s Public School (K-12) Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 25, 2023 HORT-275NP
Accessing Virginia’s Hospital Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 25, 2023 HORT-276NP
Accessing Virginia’s Direct-to-Consumer Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 26, 2023 HORT-277NP
Accessing Virginia’s College & University Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 26, 2023 HORT-278NP
Accessing Virginia Market Sectors: Establishing a Marketing Perspective Apr 26, 2023 HORT-279NP
Changes to USDA GAP & GHP, Produce Harmonized GAP, and Harmonized GAP Plus+ Audit Billing and Scheduling Jun 17, 2019 SPES-132NP (SPES-147NP)
Considerations for Producers Seeking Market Access to Schools Jun 11, 2019 SPES-145NP
Considerations for School Nutrition Directors Seeking to Increase Farm to School Purchases Jun 11, 2019 SPES-146NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 1 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-205NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 2 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-206NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 3 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-207NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19: Part 4 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-208NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 May 28, 2020 SPES-217NP
Assessing On-Farm Risks and Documenting Food Safety Practices to Meet Farm to School Requirements May 7, 2021 SPES-319NP
Fresh Hops Harvesting and Handling Tips Jun 29, 2018 SPES-43NP
Virginia Fresh Produce Food Safety Website
This comprehensive website is intended to provide information about the efforts of the Virginia Fresh Produce Food Safety Team, as well as timely and science-based resources geared to reducing fresh produce contamination risks, beginning at the farm level, progressing through the marketplace to the final end-user, the consumer. The site also includes a blog that highlights our research and extension work on many fronts.
Oct 18, 2024 SPES-626NP
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Planning for the Market
According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, U.S. greenhouse vegetable farms more than doubled from 2012 (USDA 2019). Virginia fell within the top 10 states for acreage of vegetables and berry crops grown under protected culture. Protected culture includes greenhouses and structures like high tunnels. With close to two and a half million square feet devoted mostly to tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, and strawberries, the value of Virginia greenhouse sales in 2017 was over 31 million dollars! A lot of this increase in square footage was due to the addition of large operations coming into Virginia.
Jul 27, 2023 SPES-461NP
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Management Basics Jul 21, 2023 SPES-462NP
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Systems
With the increasing number of controlled environment agriculture farms, Virginia Cooperative Extension is working closely with specialty crop growers to address the challenges of establishing and managing hydroponic greenhouse operations. Growers interested in producing food crops in controlled environments can use several different types of hydroponic systems. One of the most common types of hydroponic systems is called nutrient film technique (NFT).
Jul 24, 2023 SPES-463NP
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Deep Water Culture (DWC) Systems Jul 19, 2023 SPES-464NP
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Media Systems
One common type of hydroponic system is known as a media system and utilizes some type of containerized media to grow plants. This media or substrate is used primarily to anchor the plants while nutrient solution is delivered to the plants via sub-irrigation or top-irrigation. The terms media and substrate will be used interchangeably in this publication.
Aug 6, 2023 SPES-465NP
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: System and Crop Comparisons
This factsheet is part of a series of seven factsheets targeting beginning farmers growing edible crops using hydroponic greenhouse systems. There are also five videos that are related to the factsheets and included in the numbering sequence.
Jul 26, 2023 SPES-466NP
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Food Safety Considerations Jul 20, 2023 SPES-467NP
Farming Foundations in Hydroponics: Targeting the Marketplace Jul 12, 2023 SPES-468NP
Farming Foundations in Hydroponics: Crop and System Types Jul 12, 2023 SPES-469NP
Farming Foundations in Hydroponics: Planning Your Production Jul 12, 2023 SPES-470NP
Local, Community Focused Hydroponics: Endless Summer Harvest Jul 12, 2023 SPES-471NP
High Tech for Small-Scale Hydroponics: Schuyler Greens Company Jul 12, 2023 SPES-472NP
Virginia Vegetable Specialist Team Mar 31, 2023 SPES-480NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Introduction and overview
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, we define “farm to school”, provide an overview of Farm to School initiatives in Virginia, highlight the content of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit and webinar series.
Jul 24, 2024 SPES-594NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Growing a farm to school team
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, we are joined by several panelists who will share their experiences and processes for obtaining funds for farm to school projects and how to evaluate them.
Jul 29, 2024 SPES-595NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Funding and Evaluating Farm to School Initiatives
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, we are joined by several panelists who will share their experiences and processes for obtaining funds for farm to school projects and how to evaluate them.
Jul 29, 2024 SPES-596NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Telling the Farm to School Story
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, our panelists will discuss why it is important to share success stories with stakeholders, and will provide some examples of ways to do so.
Jul 30, 2024 SPES-597NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Procuring Local Foods for Schools and Child Nutrition Programs
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, our panelists will share about how they have navigated through the process of procuring local foods for local schools.
Jul 30, 2024 SPES-598NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Procuring Safe Food, Assessing Risks, and Documenting Practices
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, our panelists will look at the flow of food from farm to tray, associated food safety contamination risks, and helpful resources to consider.
Jul 30, 2024 SPES-599NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Delivery and Distribution
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, we are joined by several panelists, who will highlight some tangible ways food is being delivered and distributed as part of the farm-to-school value chain in Virginia.
Jul 30, 2024 SPES-600NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Connecting School Gardens and Farms to Students and Cafeterias
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, we will consider how school gardens play an integral part of farm to school programs. Our panelists will share how they have developed and worked with school gardens and farms, and will offer some tips that can help in farm to school efforts.
Jul 30, 2024 SPES-601NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Sparking a Love of Local Food and Farming: Classrooms, Early Care Sites, and Summer Programs
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, we will consider opportunities to extend classroom learning into early care settings, afterschool activities, and summer programs. Our panelists will share their stories of how they are doing so.
Jul 30, 2024 SPES-602NP
Virginia Farm to School Toolkit Webinar Series: Sparking a Love of Local Food and Farming: Afterschool Programs
This webinar series is designed to support and explain each chapter of the Virginia Farm to School Toolkit, which was developed to guide VCE Extension agents, school division administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators, school garden coordinators, and others toward using farm to school practices as a means to increase equitable access to fresh, healthy, Virginia grown food while providing hands-on learning opportunities in a variety of educational settings. In this webinar, our panelists will share their stories about how they have sparked a love of local food and farming through classroom and afterschool programs.
Jul 30, 2024 SPES-603NP
Glenmary Farms: Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation is a series of six videos showcasing Virginia farmers and their stories of working with Virginia Cooperative Extension to have their farms become Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified. In this video, we speak with Michael Richard and Alex Fayler of Glenmary Farms, Bristol, VA, about their oscillating hydroponic system for growing strawberries and their culture of food safety.
Oct 16, 2024 SPES-628NP
Greenswell Growers: Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation is a series of six videos showcasing Virginia farmers and their stories of working with Virginia Cooperative Extension to have their farms become Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified. In this video, we speak with Carl Gupton, CEO of Greenswell Growers, about their automated nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system for growing lettuce and arugula, and how they have integrated food safety handling policies and practices as a central focus of their operation.
Oct 16, 2024 SPES-629NP
Mor-Farms: Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation is a series of six videos showcasing Virginia farmers and their stories of working with Virginia Cooperative Extension to have their farms become Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified. In this video, we speak with Deborah Morton of Mor-Farms, Halifax County, VA, and how she is revitalizing the family farm where her forebearers grew tobacco in 1906. Growing a diversity of vegetable crops with field and high tunnel production, we discuss food safety practices and how extension can assist growers with their audits.
Oct 16, 2024 SPES-630NP
Puckette Farms: Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation is a series of six videos showcasing Virginia farmers and their stories of working with Virginia Cooperative Extension to have their farms become Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified. In this video, we speak with Aaron Puckette of Puckette Farms, Campbell County, VA, about his field-grown produce for his Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and wholesale markets, and explain various aspects of assessing risks for a produce safety audit.
Oct 17, 2024 SPES-631NP
Wildwood Berries and Produce: Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation is a series of six videos showcasing Virginia farmers and their stories of working with Virginia Cooperative Extension to have their farms become Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified. In this video, we speak with Lorrie Barron of Wildwood Berries and Produce, Charlotte, VA. Lorrie shares about her high tunnel and field-grown vegetables and berries sold through farmer's markets and a regional wholesaler, and highlights the food safety policies and practices she incorporates to reduce hazards.
Oct 17, 2024 SPES-632NP
Wyndale Gardens: Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation
Virginia Cooperative Extension Mentors Growers in GAP Certification Preparation is a series of six videos showcasing Virginia farmers and their stories of working with Virginia Cooperative Extension to have their farms become Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified. In this video, we speak with Scott and Becky Ramsey of Wyndale Gardens, Abingdon, VA, about their aquaponic system used for growing blue Nile tilapia and leafy greens. The first Harmonized GAP aquaponics farm certified within Virginia, Scott and Becky share their insights and commitment to providing the safest product they can to their retail and school markets.
Oct 17, 2024 SPES-633NP