Farmers’ markets abound in Rhode Island these days and that was simply great for Wendy Costa, a CELS student majoring in nutrition dietetics.

Costa has a summer internship that is designed to garner public reaction to the Good Agricultural Practices program based at URI. Good Agricultural Practices or GAP is a program that certifies growers of produce who follow established food safety guidelines in growing, harvesting and shipping produce.

The program is taking on added significance in light of food poisoning issues that have grabbed headlines nationally over the last couple of years.

Costa, a junior, has visited five farmers’ markets around the state. In each case she set up a table and asks passersby to submit to a short interview. In the case of consumers she asks questions using an awareness survey such as : “Have you heard of the GAP program?” “Are you willing to pay extra for products of GAP certified farms?”

She also used a different survey for GAP certified growers. Several questions are included in this survey, designed to see how the program is going for the farmers and asks them whether they need further assistance.

Costa says she was nervous at her first outing but that quickly disappeared when she found everyone so friendly. People really did not mind answering a few questions, she says.

“A lot of people did not know what GAP was,” she says, noting that she then informed them about the program.

She also found out that many purchasers at the markets were willing to pay a little more for produce from GAP certified farms. She also reports that some growers are interested in joining the program.

Costa says the goal is to get 100 surveys completed so that a good database can be established.

The summer experience she says was really fun—being outside and meeting people.

“I don’t feel like this was a typical summer job,” she says. “I feel this is doing something helpful.”

Costa, a native of Windham, NH said while in high school she always thought about doing something in the food field. “I thought about culinary school but then I decided against that—it would not involve sciences and would not be mind challenging enough.”

That’s when she decided on pursing a degree in nutrition at URI. “I love science,” she adds.