Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training

Time: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Location: University of Maine Farmington - Olsen Memorial Student Center - Conference Room 123

These workshops are offered in collaboration with our partners Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and AgMatters LLC.

Who Should Attend
Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, farm food safety best practices, and co-management of natural resources and food safety. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy 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.”

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: Post harvest Water)
Post harvest 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. There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions.