Do you plan to pursue GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certification for your farm under the USDA Harmonized GAP Standard? This FREE five-part virtual training series is for you!

In this webinar series, we will review each section of the GAP audit process in 1.5-hour sessions and break down, step-by-step, what farmers need to do to get GAP certified. We will cover all updates to the certification and what we’ve learned from helping farms get GAP certified over the years. We love discussion and welcome farmers to come to the webinars with questions.

• Participants will receive a certificate of completion if they attend sessions 1, 2, and at least one other session.
• Parts 4 and 5 are optional, depending on your needs and operation.
• The series is led by CFSA’s Local Produce Safety Team: Sara Runkel, Local Food Program Director; Cassidy Fryga, Local Produce Safety Coordinator; Jay Dunbar, Local Produce Safety Coordinator; Amelia Bruss, Soil Conservationist
• The series is free, but registration is required to attend. Register for one or all sessions here.

Sessions:

Part 1: Introduction to Food Safety & GAP Audits
Thursday, January 15th, 2026 | 4:30-6pm
Introduction to the produce food safety world, covering different regulations, pathogens, and typical farm hazards. Leave with a complete understanding of the paperwork necessary for a successful audit.

Part 2: General Requirements
Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 | 4:30-6pm
General Questions section of the USDA HGAP Certification Standard: Health & hygiene, traceability, documentation, and Food Defense.

Part 3: Field/Production Requirements
Thursday, January 22nd, 2026 | 4:30-6pm
Field Operations section of the USDA HGAP Certification Standard: Agricultural chemicals, soil amendments, harvest practices, and transportation.

Part 4: Post-Harvest Requirements
Tuesday, January 27th, 2026 | 4:30-6pm
Post-Harvest Operations of the USDA HGAP Certification Standard: Safely wash and pack produce, clean & sanitize equipment and facilities, and manage cold storage and transportation.

Part 5: HGAP+ Requirements
Thursday, January 29th, 2026 | 4:30-6pm
Learn how the Harmonized GAP Plus Standard is distinguished from the original USDA Standard; review all additional requirements and discuss when to “step up” to HGAP Plus.

Funding for this webinar series was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 23SCBPNC1202-00-23-076-2004. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA