A Multistate Effort to Integrate and Expand Farmers Market Food Safety Materials Across The Southern Region to Increase Food Safety Culture

The overarching goal of this project is to reduce the incidence of foodborne-illness and provide a safer food supply by equipping market vendors, managers, and consumers with both scientifically-based and practical behaviors. We will create a "Farmers' Market Food Safety tool-kit" (FMFS tool-kit).Training utilizing the FMFS Tool-kitwill be delivered through extension specialists, extension Agents, Farmers Market Associations and volunteers. We hypothesize that a collaboration between key universities with input from stakeholders will result in the best materials developed for this audience. This project will allow us to improve upon the current curriculum, reach a larger audience and impact the public health of farmers' market patrons.