Produce has risen to the top of the list of food commodities associated with foodborne illness. As a result, programs have arisen to encourage fruit and vegetable farmers to adopt safe production, harvest and post-harvest practices.
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.
To be placed on the Produce Safety Email list, contact indu.upadhyaya@uconn.edu.
2022 FSMA Produce Safety Alliance Remote Grower Training Course
2022 FSMA Produce Safety Alliance Remote Grower Training Course :
Register here: Go to bit.ly/ExtensionStore (registration is closed).
Date/Time of Event:
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 24th, 2022, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Contact Person Phone and Email:
Indu Upadhyaya
860-786-8191
Instructors
- Indu Upadhyaya, Ph.D., Food Safety Specialist, UConn Cooperative Extension
- Diane Hirsch, MPH, Food Safety Specialist, UConn
Course Summary:
The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training Course has been designed to provide a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices knowledge that includes emphasis on co-management of food safety and environmental management goals, while outlining the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. 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.’ This course will be taught remotely on a Zoom platform as per the remote delivery guidelines established by PSA.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
In order to obtain a certificate that provides evidence of compliance with the training requirements of the rule, you must be present for the entire two-day course. Please make sure you have a computer/laptop (no phones or tablets allowed) with built-in video or external webcam and microphone with sufficient internet connectivity for the entire duration of the course. There will be 15-minute breaks during the course.
- No more than 2 people from the same operation should register for the course.
- If you are joining in the same physical room as someone else, you must utilize headphones to minimize background noise and feedback.
Registration Types and Their Associated Fees:
Course registration fee (includes all course materials and certificate): $175
(The fee is high as currently the course is being offered independently by UConn without State/Federal funds to support. This is to address the need for produce farmer training in a timely manner)
The preferred method of registration/payment is by paying with a credit card. Please include both a work and cell/home phone number and regularly used email address in case of emergency or cancellation.
Please provide the correct shipping address for shipping of manuals to reach you before the course. This is a requirement.
To register: Go to bit.ly/ExtensionStore (registration is closed).
Registration is first come, first served, so please register early. You must pre-register. Space is limited. Registration materials must be received by February 6th.
Cancellation Policy:
No refunds or cancellations will be accepted after February 6th.
If you have further questions regarding the course, please contact indu.upadhyaya@uconn.edu.
GAP
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) audit programs are non-regulatory programs that may be required by a produce buyer, including distributors, school systems, institutions, government agencies who purchase food or larger retail operations. GAP audits are conducted by USDA and by private auditing firms. Generally, the programs require farmers to attend a training program and to develop and implement a food safety plan which is used as a basis for the audit.
University of Connecticut Extension offers training programs to help farmers learn about Good Agricultural Practices and to develop and implement food safety plans.
FSMA Produce Safety Rule
The Food Safety Modernization Act 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. University of Connecticut Extension offers the PSA course, using approved lead trainers.
Farmers who may be exempt from the Produce Safety Rule and who do not sell to customers requiring a GAP audit are still encouraged to attend a produce safety training course. Any outbreak tied to a fruit or vegetable farm in Connecticut can have negative consequences for both the individual farmer and the industry as a whole.