Amy Philpott
Washington, DC - United Fresh Produce Association announced today the schedule for its 2007 Produce Inspection Training Program. Produce industry members can now register for this popular program, which is designed to help produce industry receivers, handlers, buyers, shippers and sellers understand the fundamentals of the USDA produce inspection process. Course dates in 2007 are: April 16-20; June 18-22; and September 24-28.
Developed by the United Research & Education Foundation, in partnership with U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS), this two-part program offers a comprehensive overview of USDA inspection procedures and standards through lab training courses, classroom lectures, and discussion sessions with USDA trainers.
"This course is a unique opportunity for private industry and the government to work together to gain a better understanding of the complexities of the produce inspection system," said Robert Keeney, Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, USDA-AMS. "Based on the popularity of this program in year's past, we anticipate another successful series in 2007 and look forward to working with our partners in the fresh fruit and vegetable industry."
The Produce Inspection Training Program is developed into two specialized courses: Introduction to Produce Inspection and Advanced Produce Inspection. New for 2007, each advanced course will include the five most commonly requested commodities: Grapes, Lettuces, Potatoes, Strawberries, and Tomatoes. In addition to these 5, each course will be customized with up to 10 additional commodities based on the attendees' most common preferences.
"Understanding different grades, standards, quality and condition of produce commodities are fundamental to understanding the entire inspection process," said Victoria Kuhns, United Fresh senior vice president of member services & foundation. "This course provides real information, real training, and real-world knowledge."
Past participant Stephen Warnecke, Warehouse Manager for United Fruit & Produce, noted, "The classroom and labs have proven to be very useful tools. They have opened a whole new process on how our company receives and inspects merchandise to ensure it meets the standards set in place by the USDA."
Attendees may register for the training seminars on the United Fresh website at http://www.unitedfresh.org/ or by contacting Beth Berman, education manager, at (202) 303-3400 ext 405 or bberman@unitedfresh.org.
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