Farmer Resources
Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District, in collaboration with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, AgMatters LLC, and University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will be hosting a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training on Friday, July 21, 2017, in Augusta, ME. The training is scheduled from 9:00am-6:00pm and will be held at the Maine Forest Products Council Building, located at 535 Civic Center Drive in Augusta. Cost to attend is $10, or $25 for the training and lunch.
Enrollment is limited to 25 attendees so please register early. Registration closes on July 14th.
This course is for fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety.
The trainers will spend approximately eight 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: Postharvest Water
*Postharvest 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.
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 course will provide a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of:
Microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found
How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks
How to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm
Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one
Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them.
After attending the entire course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course.
For more information and to obtain a copy of the registration form, please visit: http://www.maine.gov/dacf/qar/fsma/
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