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Mission Statement of the Montana Produce Safety Program:

To build a collaborative infrastructure to support Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and Produce Safety Rule (PSR) compliant training, education, outreach, technical assistance, and enforcement as it relates to Montana’s produce industry.
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Produce Safety Grower Training Courses

Future training is being planned in Montana, but you are welcome to take the PSA Grower training wherever it is offered. See a list of upcoming courses by clicking here.

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

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 are encouraged to attend. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule training requirement.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

The course will include remote delivery over two days. Each day, trainers will spend approximately four 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.

 

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

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.

After attending the entire course, participants will receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course.

 

REGISTRATION

The fee for the training is $40 for everyone.

Registration is limited. You will be contacted for your payment details once we meet the course minimum of 6 participants. If we do not meet the minimum by Monday, November 23rd the course will be canceled. Registration includes the training, course materials, and a certificate of course attendance issued by AFDO.

Participation for the entire training is required for the certificate. Attendance will be taken at some point during each module to ensure attendance of each module.

These Grower Training courses satisfy the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) 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 FDA.’ The cost to register for one of these courses is $40/person.

The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) has been awarded a grant from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. The funds will allow MDA to train Montana producers and help them comply with newly implemented federal food safety regulations. In addition to helping producers comply with FSMA, the trainings will also help them meet the standards required by institutional food buyers.

Food Safety Modernization Act

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA, often pronounced "fizz-ma") was signed into law on January 4, 2011.  FSMA authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take a preventative approach to food safety.

There are seven rules included within FSMA.  The Produce Safety Rule is one of these Rules and was finalized in 2015.  The Produce Safety Rule sets food safety standards for farms in an effort to minimize the risks of microbiological contamination that may occur during the growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fresh produce. The key elements to the Produce Safety Rule and additional resources are listed below.  For more information, attend one of the PSA Grower Training courses.

Employee qualifications and training

Farm workers who handle produce and/or food contact surfaces must have certain training, including the importance of health and hygiene.

Worker health and hygiene

Workers can carry, introduce and spread contamination to fresh produce so it's critical to have training in place for employees and visitors.  Farms must also implement worker practices such as washing hands after using the restroom and notifying their supervisor when they are ill.

Biological soil amendments

Appropriate use of raw manure and compost minimizes the risk of contamination.

Domesticated and wild animals.

Produce growing areas must be visually monitored for signs of animal intrusion and workers must not harvest produce that is likely contaminated (e.g. don't harvest melons with bird poop on them).  Farms are not required to exclude animals from their fields or destroy animal habitat.

Equipment, tools and buildings

The Produce Safety Rule establishes standards related to the use and sanitation of equipment, tools and buildings to prevent contaminating produce.

Recordkeeping

Certain records are required by the Produce Safety Rule.  In general, records should be accurate, legible, and indelible; dated and signed by the person who performed the activity; and should be created at the time of the activity. Records should be keep for at least two years.

Sprouts

Sprouts have specific requirements because of their susceptibility to contamination.  Contact the Sprout Safety Alliance if you are a sprout grower.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) & Good Handling Practices (GHP)

FSMA does not take the place of USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) & Good Handling Practices (GHPs), although farms utilizing these programs will be in a great position to comply with the Produce Safety Rule.  It is expected that the FDA and USDA will continue to work together to release guidance. For more information about coverage and exemptions, review the following links:

More Links & Resources

Content and information on this web page were supported in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the FDA.

Grean beans at a farmer's market.