Event Details
Date
January 26, 2022
Time
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Host
Harvest New YorkYolanda Gonzalez
516-305-0358
email Yolanda Gonzalez
Regulations, Certification, and the Specialty Mushroom Industry: GAPs, FSMA, and Food Safety
January 26, 2022Regulations, Certification, and the Specialty Mushroom Industry
GAPs, FSMA, and Food Safety in Mushroom Production: Webinar #1
Join the Cornell Small Farms Program and CCE Harvest NY in an opportunity to learn how to navigate the various regulations and certifications in a specialty mushroom enterprise. The type, location, scale, and markets of a given farm all affect the programs that farmers are required or can choose to join.
Specialty mushrooms are defined by USDA as any species not belonging to the genus Agaricus (button, crimini, portabella). Examples of programs we will discuss in this two-part series include FSMA Produce Rule, GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices), New York Grown and Certified, Certified Naturally Grown, and Organic Certification.
This session will cover how contamination is spread, provide an overview of microbial risk reduction, basic food safety practices, and clarify the differences between food safety audits vs. inspection. We will also hear directly from Smallhold, a NYC-based certified organic mushroom operation that uses a distributed farming network and local, urban farming hub to sell specialty mushrooms and is a participant in the GAPs certification program.
Speakers:
Yolanda Gonzalez, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Harvest NY
Robert Hadad, CCE Cornell Vegetable Program
Hannah Shufro, Smallhold
This content will expand on resources already available in our Harvest to Market guide at CornellMushrooms.org. Both webinars will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
Registration is free for anyone interested in learning about these topics.
Announcements
New Produce Auctions in NYS!
Two new produce auctions are now open in New York State, bringing the total number of auctions to 10! See the new map of produce auction locations across the state and contact information.Community Gardens Soil Testing Program Accepting Applications
Soil testing supports the growth and expansion of community gardens by protecting the health and safety of the food produced in these gardens. CCE Harvest NY, in partnership with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets (AGM) and the Cornell Soil Health Lab, is offering eligible, food-producing gardens in New York State the opportunity to send soil samples for testing without charge.The soil test will analyze samples for heavy metals and nutrient levels. Test results help gardeners make appropriate plans to produce high quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technical support and education for participating growers will be provided by the CCE Harvest New York team. Learn more about the 2025 Community Gardens Soil Testing Program.