There are many benefits of shopping local when purchasing your food. June 1-7th is local food week. To support local food producers and build on food safety skills, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has launched an online learning module specifically for vendors producing and selling food at farmers’ markets. “We recognize that farmers are very busy and that attending an in-class food safety course sometimes does not fit into a busy schedule.
This online module takes about 35 minutes to complete and covers the basics that anyone producing and selling local food at farmers’ markets needs to know” and can be completed at their convenience. The module can be accessed on the health unit website at <http://www.healthunit.org/> under food safety/food handler training courses. Upon completion of this module and passing a short online quiz participants will receive a certificate.
This module is the latest addition in online food safety learning modules offered by the health unit. Currently there is a food safety module for the institutional setting, which will benefit food handlers working in the long term care, hospital and day care setting. In the near future another module focusing on food safety at special events is expected to be added. The food safety section of the website offers information on food safety for food businesses and those producing food at home.