STATE NEWS

News Date June 30, 2009

MD: GOOD AGRICULTURAL/HANDLING PRACTICES CERTIFICATION IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 30, 2009) – With the increasing concern for food safety issues and interest in buying local products, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) encourages fruit and vegetable producers and handlers to become certified in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) voluntary certification programs.

To become GAP or GHP certified, a farm/business must implement a food safety program and complete a successful audit of its operation. The audit provides national recognition for producers and handlers to the increasing number of buyers now requiring audits for compliance to the GAP and GHP guidelines.

In 2008, five Maryland producers participated in the program. This year, participation has tripled with 16 producers now certified through the voluntary food safety program. Participants include apple, peach, tomato, watermelon and leafy greens producers. The three commodities that are most often associated with food safety issues are leafy greens, tomatoes and melons. Producers can be audited for categories such as worker health and hygiene, farm review, field harvesting and field packing activities, packing house facility, storage and transportation, food security and trace-back.

As an incentive for more farmers and handlers to participate, MDA will to pay up to $400 reimbursement to producers who complete a successful audit. For funds to be awarded, the audit must be approved and payment verified. Audits are offered through the MDA’s Food Quality Assurance Program through a cooperative agreement with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. For more information on GAP or GHP certification, contact Deanna Baldwin at 410-841-5769 or baldwidl@mda.state.md.us or www.mda.state.md.us/go/gap.php. (Contact: Sue duPont, 410-841-5889 or Julie Oberg, 410-841-5888) 

ND: DIRECT FARM SALES HANDBOOK NOW AVAILABLE

BISMARCK – The newly-published “Farm to Market, North Dakota’s Guide to Selling Local Food,” a handbook of direct farm marketing, is now available from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA).

“The growth of direct marketing of agricultural products across the nation and here in North Dakota has been remarkable,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “Agricultural producers are increasingly using farmers markets, direct sales to restaurants and institutions, on-farm stands and other direct marketing tools and techniques to sell their produce to consumers.”

Goehring said the 36-page booklet is a valuable reference both for experienced direct marketers as well as for producers considering direct marketing. “The information in this handbook ranges from sales tax permits and other tax issues to food safety regulations,” he said. “Each section also includes contact information for appropriate state and local agencies.” The publication can be downloaded from: www.agdepartment.com/Programs/LocalFoodsInfo.htm. Print copies are available by contacting the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 602, Bismarck, ND 58505-0020; phone (800) 242-7535; email: ndda@nd.gov. (Contact: Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210.) 

ND: GOEHRING NAMES MEAT INSPECTION PROGRAM ASSISTANT

BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has appointed Julie Nilges as an assistant relief inspector in the North Dakota State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program.

“Julie’s experience in another state meat inspection program and her farm background make her an excellent candidate for this position,” Goehring said.

A Minnesota native, Nilges graduated from Argosy University in Minneapolis. She lived on a farm in Kansas for 27 years, while working for the Kansas Department of Agriculture as a meat and poultry inspector and in the department’s weights and measures division.

In her new position, Nilges will assist the program director, Dr, Andrea Grondahl, and senior inspectors. She will also substitute during the absence of other inspectors.

A division of the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program was authorized by the 1999 Legislature. The program provides inspection and grading services that enable meat and poultry processors to retail and wholesale their products in the state. The program also ensures that custom exempt facilities – companies that slaughter and process meat provided by the customer – meet facility and sanitary standards.

Goehring said the program currently provides inspection services to 15 slaughter and processing plants and 94 custom exempt plants. (Contact: Ted Quanrud at: (701) 328-2233 or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210.) 

VA: VIRGINIA ISSUES FIRE ANT QUARANTINE IN 11 LOCALITIES

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) on June 24 announced a temporary quarantine on the movement of regulated articles in the lower Peninsula and greater Tidewater areas of Southeastern Virginia to areas outside the quarantined localities for the purpose of preventing the artificial spread of the Red Imported Fire Ant to uninfested areas of the state. The temporary quarantine applies to the counties of James City and York and the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg.

The quarantine restricts the movement of articles that are capable of transporting fire ants out of the quarantine area; movement within the quarantine area is not restricted. Regulated articles include any article or means of conveyance that presents a risk of spreading the imported fire ant, including soil, plants with soil attached, grass sod, used soil-moving equipment, used farm equipment, hay/straw/pine straw, honey bee hives that have been in contact with the ground, and logs, pulp wood or stump wood with soil attached. 

“We do not expect the fire ant quarantine to have a negative economic impact on the area,” said VDACS Commissioner Todd P. Haymore. "Regulated articles can move without restriction within the quarantine area. With inspection or a compliance agreement, they will be able to move out of the quarantine, as well. Indeed, we will work with the affected communities and businesses to make sure that the quarantine will not deter economic growth in the greater Hampton Roads area while helping to keep an injurious pest that can be quite harmful to humans, pets and agricultural animals from moving to other areas of the state.” 

The first discovery of fire ants in Virginia occurred in Hampton in 1989. Since then, colonies of imported fire ants have continued to grow due to the movement of infested materials, primarily nursery stock from other areas of the country, as well as the fire ant's natural spread.   Staff in OPPS successfully treated and eradicated many of the original colonies, but recent data confirms that imported fire ants are now established and spreading naturally in the Tidewater area. See VDACS’ Web site for Frequently Asked Questions and other information: http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/plant&pest/fireant.shtml. See USDA-APHIS Imported Fire Ant Web site at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/fireants/index.shtml (Contact: Elaine Lidholm at: 804-786-7686) 

WA: WASHINGTON STATE SEEKS COMMODITY INSPECTION DIRECTOR

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is seeking an experienced leader and manager to serve as the Assistant Director of their Commodity Inspection Division. This full-time exempt position is located in the Natural Resources Building in Olympia, Washington.

This Assistant Director provides leadership and oversight for programs which support agriculture, protect the consumer and work in partnership with agricultural and consumer groups, and state, local and federal officials to ensure public safety in areas such as: fruit & vegetable inspection, grain inspection, grain warehouse auditing and seed inspection. The division plays an integral role in supporting key agricultural production, health and safety, and efficient and safe availability of agricultural products to benefit the consumers in Washington as well as nationally.

The Assistant Director works in close partnership with the Director and the members of the executive management team in formulating and executing the strategic goals of the agency.

Interested individuals may apply by submitting a letter of interest and a current resume or completed State application form, and the Applicant Profile Data Form, (both forms can be found at www.dop.wa.gov/Pages/forms.aspx) and a list of five (5) professional references including at least one (1) supervisor, peer, and subordinate. Please send all application materials to:  Linda Pentt, Human Resource Consultant, WSDA Human Resource Office, PO Box 42560, Olympia WA 98504-2560. For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, interested applicants are encouraged to visit the Department’s website at http://agr.wa.gov. (Contact: Linda Pentt at: 360-902-1979)