Register Now for Produce Safety Rule Grower Training

Posted On December 26, 2018— Written By
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Fresh peppers at the farmers' market

Fresh peppers at the farmers’ market. Photo by Debbie Roos.

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Center is partnering with NC State Extension to offer an all-day Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training on Thursday, January 31, 2019. The training will be from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center in Pittsboro. This course meets the regulatory requirements of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.

Who Should Attend:
The Produce Safety Rule requires all farms that grow, pack, harvest and/or hold covered produce, making over $25,000 in annual produce sales (average over the last three years) and not qualifying for an exemption from the rule to attend this training.

For a step-by-step guide of who needs to attend this training, see who is mandated to attend PSA trainings. This is a one-page document that provides a summary of exemptions under the PS Rule. Be aware that for exempt or qualified exempt farms that are not required to attend a PSA Grower training there are other requirements that must be fulfilled.

The PSA Grower Training Course satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in §112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’

Note: The training is open to all growers, even those not required to attend. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn more about produce safety.

Course Information:
The trainers will spend approximately seven hours of instruction time covering content contained in these seven modules:

  • Introduction to Produce Safety
  • Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
  • Soil Amendments
  • Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
  • Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
  • Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
  • How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, key parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module.

View the agenda for the training.

Benefits of Attending the Course:
The course will provide a foundation for Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of:

  • Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them
  • Microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm
  • How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks, and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm
  • Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one

Participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course.

Registration Information:
The cost of the workshop is $50 for NC residents and $100 for non-residents. The registration fee includes meals, the Produce Safety Alliance manual, and the certificate of participation. A GoldenLeaf Grant is supporting this training and offsetting the registration costs for a limited time.

Space is limited so make sure and register early. The registration deadline is January 24, 2019.

Register online. Click on the session you want to attend, then scroll down and click the Register Now button on the right side below the list of trainings.

If you have any questions about the January 31 training, email Debbie Roos.

Training Location:

Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center
1192 US 64 W Bus
Pittsboro, NC 27312

Support for North Carolina fresh produce farmers, food processors and manufacturers is provided by:

Golden LEaf Foundation logo

Task force logo