Post-harvest handling is an aspect of fruit and vegetable production that is often disregarded when growing fruits and vegetables for market. Failing to properly handle and prepare produce for consumers can not only result in the spread of bacteria and disease, having detrimental impact on farmers and their business, but also negatively affect the quality and shelf-life.

To help address this issue, the CEA for ANR partnered with Grow Appalachia in the spring of 2018 to host a Post-Harvest Handling Workshop for Magoffin County farmers. 29 farmers attended the training to gain a better understanding of how to properly harvest, wash, and store fresh fruits and vegetables to make their produce safer for consumers, as well as increase quality and shelf-life. 

100% of the participants reported learning something new and said they will begin utilizing the tips and techniques learned during the workshop when harvesting and storing produce.