Food Safety, Affordable Care Act Draw Crowds At 2014 Southeast Fruit And Vegetable Conference

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Growers from across the Southeast gathered in January for the annual Southeast Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah. About 3,000 people were in attendance for the trade show and education program. Education seminars included 13 tracks, covering major fruit and vegetable crops, marketing, business operations, and food safety.

With the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) looming, an entire track was devoted to the topic. David Gombas, United Fresh Produce Association’s vice president of food safety and technology, was on hand to discuss how the new law will impact specialty crop growers.

The Food Safety sessions placed a large emphasis on water usage in relation to the new FSMA rules. What types of water are affected by the law, testing procedures, and why and how to treat water were addressed by Extension personnel from the University of Florida and North Carolina State University.

Another educational program that drew large crowds was a discussion on the Affordable Care Act’s impact on agriculture. The session aimed to help growers determine if they were covered by the new insurance coverage rules. There also was an acknowledgement there are still a lot of unknowns as it relates to the law.

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The conference is home to a large trade show, featuring more than 300 exhibitors. See the slideshow above for scenes from the tradeshow floor.

 

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