For Immediate Release: Monday, July 9, 2018
DES MOINES – Efforts are underway to reach out and educate Iowa’s
produce growers on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Produce Safety
Rule.
A cooperative partnership between the Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa State University Extension and
Outreach is leading the efforts. Outreach activities have included training
sessions, presentations at state and regional produce conferences, and offering
resources and expertise on this key part of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization
Act (FSMA).
“A primary goal of the Produce Safety Rule is prevention
of food borne illnesses rather than responding to outbreaks,” Iowa Secretary of
Agriculture Mike Naig said. “The rule focuses on science-based minimum
standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and
vegetables grown for human consumption.”
Beginning in November, 2017, and running through March of
2018, team members of the state’s cooperative produce safety partnership have delivered
ten training sessions to Iowa’s produce growers.
Ten additional classroom trainings will be offered
beginning this fall.
The day long events provided growers the necessary
information needed to be in full compliance with the law, learn about exemptions,
and receive informational resource packets that assist growers in developing farm
plans to comply with the law.
To date over 250 individuals representing 197 Iowa farms
have participated in these trainings.
Additionally, on-farm reviews are available this summer
to larger growers that have completed the day long training events. The reviews
will allow team members and producers to review farm practices through the lens
of the Produce Safety Rule. Growers will find the on-farm reviews particularly
useful as the sessions will help them better understand how to translate the
new rules on their farm.
The On Farm Readiness Reviews are free of charge and are
done on a voluntary basis and take less than two hours to complete.
“Each of the first set of ten trainings was offered in a
different part of the state, and the participation of Iowa’s commercial produce
growers has shown their commitment to learning about the Produce Safety Rule,”
said Joe Hannan, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and
Outreach. “The state’s produce growers want to provide customers with not only
fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables, but just as importantly safe and
wholesome produce.”
Information about upcoming classroom training and how to
register for an on-farm review, as well as other pertinent information about
the rule, can be found at https://www.safeproduce.cals.iastate.edu/fda-produce-safety-rule.
Growers can also make inquires to IowaFSMA@iastate.edu or 515-294-6773.
They can also contact State Horticulturist Paul Ovrom at paul.ovrom@iowaagriculture.gov
or 515-242-6239 or Hannan at jmhannan@iastate.edu
or 515-993-4281.
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For more information, contact Dustin Vande Hoef, (515) 281-3375 or (515) 326-1616 (cell) or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
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