Join Future Harvest and University of Maryland Extension at Terp Farm for a field day on Produce Safety basics.

Tour the Terp Farm by visiting different workstations located around the farm. See how this farm meets food safety standards, both Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Produce Safety Rule (PSR), FSMA. Topics to be covered include: cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces, worker training, writing YOUR farm food safety plan, and writing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for harvesting leafy greens.

Talks will be led by UMD Food Safety Extension Agents, Produce Safety Trainers,and GAP instructors. No MDA certificate will be awarded for this event, but attendees will have an opportunity to see which training program will be appropriate for their operation. Beginning farmers welcome!

About the Farm

Terp Farm grows sustainable vegetables for Dining and Terps at UMD. The farm is located 15 miles from College Park at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) Upper Marlboro Facility. Originally known as the Campus Tobacco Farm, the Central Maryland Research and Education Center – Upper Marlboro Facility is a 202 acre space focused on the development of alternative crops to replace tobacco in Maryland. Over thirty AGNR faculty members use Upper Marlboro for their research, instructional, and/or Extension programs. UMD’s Department of Dining Services, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) and Office of Sustainability are partnered to manage “Terp Farm,” a 2 acre plot at the Upper Marlboro facility that was dedicated by The College of AGNR. Terp Farm grows vegetables year-round for the campus dining halls, catering, Green Tidings food truck, and the Campus Pantry, which serves food-insecure members of the campus and College Park communities. Terp Farm is a sustainable farming operation employing practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, planting habitat for beneficial insects, and using organic fertilizers and pest controls. Terp Farm is a training ground for the next generation of sustainable farmers – a population for which this country is in desperate need. On-site support for the Terp Farm comes from AGNR Research & Education Centers staff who provide technical expertise, while the Upper Marlboro Facility shares infrastructure such as equipment, storage, utilities, and meeting/office space.

Event Details

We suggest that attendees wear weather appropriate attire, and closed-toed shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. Be sure to bring a water bottle and sunscreen! Questions? Contact amymullan@futureharvest.org

$10 member $20 non member free for BFTP and ALDI

This Field Day is based on work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under grant number #: 2019-49400-30455