Produce is at the top of the list of foods associated with foodborne illness. As a result, programs to encourage fruit and vegetable farmers to adopt safe production, harvest and post-harvest practices were established. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule was implemented in 2016. This Rule requires farmers that are not exempt from the Rule to attend an approved training program. The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) developed an approved course. Presently, the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training from UConn Extension is the only grower training program that meets the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule.  UConn Extension offers the PSA Grower Training course several times per year, during the winter off-season (both virtual and in-person options).

Farmers who may be exempt from the Produce Safety Rule because they do not sell to customers or have a required GAP audit, are still encouraged to attend a produce safety training course. Any outbreak tied to a fruit or vegetable farm in Connecticut has negative consequences for both the individual farmer and the industry as a whole.

The Produce Safety Rule states that at least one responsible person must complete training equivalent to the standardized curriculum recognized by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if the farm is a covered farm, defined as:

• A farm that sells over $500,000 (three year average) in ALL FOOD SALES
• That sells more than $25,000 and up to $500,00 (three year average),if they do not meet the requirements of the Qualified Exemption
• (These dollar amounts are updated annually using the inflation calculator. Input the original year of 2011 and the original dollar amounts, such as $500,000 or $25,000 to get the current adjusted limit.)

The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) developed this FDA approved curricula.  Information regarding the course can be found on the Cornell Produce Safety Alliance website. The produce safety community believes that all growers should be knowledgeable of the standards that now govern the industry.  We encourage all growers, regardless of compliance and exemption status, to take the course.

If you would like to be on the email list to be notified of course registration information, please email: indu.upadhyaya@uconn.edu. For information about Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), GAP audits, the Produce Safety Rule or general information about produce safety, go to Food Safety in Connecticut for Farmers and Growers.