International Produce Training

I am happy to announce the date of the second group training event held in conjunction with Southeast Produce Council.  The dates of the two training classes are:

          May 19-20, 2010
            October 6-7, 2010

These training events will be held at Merchants Distributors, Inc, Hickory, NC.  These training classes provide an excellent opportunity for participants to receive a training  program based on the inspection procedures and guidelines of many commodities.  The course agenda is structured to allow particiapants with extensive hands-on instruction.  Nine commodities have been chosen for the first class, and nine different commodities will be covered in the second training class.

The classes will include about 4 hours of reviewing the inspection basics and procedures, the inspection terminology, sampling procedures and the explanation of reading and understanding the U.S. Grade Standards for fresh fruit and vegetables.
 
The remainder of the lessons are devoted to individual commodities, such as the inspection instructions, defect identification, defect scoring guidelines and the tolerances involved for that particular commodity.  Each lecture is followed up with a demonstration and/or hands-on grading exercise where the participants will actually inspect a carton of produce based on the U.S. Grade Standard.  Official USDA visual aids are introduced as well as the necessary inspection equipment, such as sizing rings, a refractometer or a penetrometer.

For registration and lodging information and to review the course agenda, please click here.

See you there!