NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MSC 3189, P.O Box 30005 - Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8005 Office of the Director/Secretary Dr. I. Miley Gonzalez, Director/Secretary
MEDIA ADVISORY	Fax: (575) 646-8120

 “GAP” Workshop Comes to Las Cruces and Silver City, New Mexico

Las Cruces, New Mexico—A Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) Food Safety Workshop will be presented in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Wednesday, July 30, 2008, and in Silver City, New Mexico, Thursday, July 31, 2008.

Any growers of fruit or vegetables who plan to market their products via New Mexico Farmers’ Markets or
vendors to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) Farm-to-School program should attend.

The one-day workshop is to present a GAP food safety plan that can be adapted to the participant’s own farming operation.  Materials to help with the implementation will be given to each participant.

GAP food safety programs are jointly sponsored by NMDA and New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service Small-Farm Task Force and is presented by Nancy Flores, NMSU, Las Cruces; Del Jimenez, NMSU, Alcalde, New Mexico; and Craig Maple, NMDA, Alcalde.

The GAP Workshop will begin at 8 a.m. in each location and will carry a $10 cost to cover a meal and materials.

To register for the Las Cruces workshop, contact Ralfael Realivasquez at (575) 525-6649 and for Silver City contact Pete Walden at (575) 388-1559.