Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Hands–on experience, on–line tool give farmers new perspective on produce

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August 3, 2009

AMES, Iowa -- Down to the rubber gloves they wore and the carrots they doused with water, Iowa produce farmers and others who attended recent workshops in Decorah and Ames got a first-hand look at postharvest handling practices that help ensure the safety and freshness of locally-grown fruit and vegetables.

At least 80 people attended two workshops sponsored by the Fruit and Vegetable Working Group of the Value Chain Partnerships project, an Iowa-based network for food and agriculture working groups. The fruit and vegetable group is co-led by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Value Added Extension at Iowa State University.

“It’s up to us, as growers, to get it right,” said Norine Black, of Black’s Heritage Farms and host of the Ames field day on July 27, “You have to know the date you harvested, where it was delivered and how long it should be left on the shelf. I think we need to take the challenge as producers to say, ‘this produce is only good for this many days, and it shouldn’t be on the shelf past this date.”

At the July 26 workshop north of Decorah at Rock Spring Farm, Chris Blanchard discussed planning a postharvest handling system that is right for your production capacity and that will meet food safety standards. He demonstrated cooling, washing, handling and packing both loose and bunched greens, carrots and beets. Principles and techniques shared also apply to other types of vegetables.

Sam Beattie, Iowa State University Extension food safety specialist, was present both days to discuss food safety issues surrounding the production process.

Blanchard has developed an on-line tool that will help producers with postharvest handling decisions as part of a Fruit and Vegetable Working Group-funded project. A link to the Postharvest Handling Decision Tool can be found on the Leopold Center website.

Co-sponsors of the July workshops included Rock Spring Farm, Black’s Heritage Farms and the Iowa Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops Grant Program. The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Services, (MOSES) was a sponsor of the Decorah workshop.

For more info contact:

Margaret Smith, Iowa State University Extension Value Added Agriculture, (515) 290-4456, mrgsmith@iastate.edu

Malcolm Robertson, Leopold Center, (515) 294-4430, malcolmr@iastate.edu

Laura Miller, Leopold Center Communications, (515) 294-5272, lwmiller@iastate.edu

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