R-10 farmers’ coops, associates and food terminal operators undergo training on food safety regulations. 

 

DALWANGAN, MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON — To promote the sale of food safety-compliant agricultural commodities, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) conducted a training on food safety awareness on September 13, 2023, this city.

Food Terminal (FT) operators and farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs) were apprised by resource speakers from the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry on the importance of food safety and postharvest handling of fruits and vegetables.

The participants were also oriented on the proper handling of animal meat products and trained on good agricultural practices (GAPs) through resource speakers from the National Meat Inspection Service and the DA-10 Regulatory Division, respectively.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that the training forms part of the necessary measures taken by the Department to ensure the safety and quality of agricultural commodities being sold in the market, especially through the food terminals in Region 10.

AMAD chief Larry E. Paraluman also said that the awareness training on food safety aims to empower FCAs and FT operators here in institutionalizing GAPs in their daily operations, which, in turn, also inspires confidence among consumers on the quality and safety of agricultural commodities for sale.

Also supporting the activity were DA-10 Provincial Operations Center Bukidnon chief Janet D. Lopez, DVM, AMAD Supervising Agriculturist Ferdinand F. Caraballe, Agribusiness and Industry Support Services (AMAD-AISS) section chief Jenny D. Alcobilla, and other AMAD staff.# (GDA)