Past: Federal Food Safety Modernization Act training — produce safety

Produce growers in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky have asked many questions regarding the new Federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) produce rule and the requirements that go with it. Here we will answer two. Is this the same as GAPS? Does my farm need to attend?

The FSMA is not the same as GAP certification. GAPs are a volunteer certification for each farm who decided to complete a farm safety plan and the requirements as outlined by the certifying organization that does the inspection. The inspection is paid by the farm. The FSMA is a federal requirement of any grower who earns income of $25,000 or more from fruit, vegetables or other edible specialty crops in a year. Compliance requirements began January 1 of 2018 and inspections are random from inspectors in each state. Individual farms do not pay for the inspection but should be prepared for inspection at any time.

The University of Missouri Extension will offer a produce safety workshop to provide training for those growers who are required to comply with the new Produce Safety Regulations in the Food Safety Modernization Act. The workshop will be February 1, 2018 beginning at 8 a.m. at the Extension Center in Jackson. The extension center is located at 684 W. Jackson Trail, Jackson, Missouri 63755. Training is co-sponsored by Produce Safety Alliance, University of Missouri Extension, and FDA.

The course will cover produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources. 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…from your farm to have… successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration."

Participants who attend the entire course will be eligible to receive a Certificate of Course Attendance from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). As evidence of course completion, the certificate is issued to the individual who attend the course and does not stay with the farm/organization.

Pre-registration and fee is required by January 29. The registration form is located here: or contact the University of Missouri Extension Center at (573) 243-3581 if you need further information or would like to register over the phone.

In order to receive the AFDO certificate, participants must attend all 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 and How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan. The trainers will spend approximately eight hours covering this material.

MU is an equal opportunity/ADA institution.