Safety Course and Commercial Gardening Seminar Feb. 24

Contact: Wesley Tucker, agriculture business specialist
Headquartered in Polk County
Tel: (417) 326-4916
E-mail: tuckerw@missouri.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – A “Food Safety Course” given by the University of Missouri Extension and public health personnel will discuss growing and preparing food for public sale and consumption using current safety requirements. This course is required by many outlets and desired by most. Following, a Commercial Gardening Seminar will be held on the business and economic aspects of starting a business in growing and selling produce.

A “Commercial Garden Economics Roundtable” will follow lunch. The discussion will highlight financial opportunities in establishing a food business like current production techniques, and marketing your produce with local farmers markets, grocery outlets and local restaurants.

The course starts at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 24 at the Polk County Library. The cost for the course is $25 per person and that includes lunch. Due to limited seating, pre-registration is recommended and can be done by calling the Polk County Extension Center at (417) 326-4916, emailing Polkco@missouri.edu or visiting Extension online at http://extension.missouri.edu/polk.

“Fruit and vegetable growers, educators, cooks, food handlers, food retailers, produce trade association personnel and food entrepreneurs you are invited to participate,” said Wesley Tucker, county program director for Polk County Extension.

The program is sponsored by the Polk County Master Gardeners, University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Department of Health.
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