DEVELOPMENT OF A VIRTUAL FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PLATFORM FOR SMALL AND VERY SMALL FARMS IN ILLINOIS

The overall goal of this project is to deliver customized training to beginning farmers, mid-sized farms, small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers, and socially disadvantaged farmers in Illinois. To achieve this, we are proposing to develop an FSMA-related food safety training, education, Extension, and outreach program in the state of Illinois. Our target audience for the project will be small to mid-size farms who are underserved, such as beginning, women, specialty crops, Amish/Mennonite, refugees (Burmese and Bhutanese), and urban farmers.