Food Safety Grower Trainings

Here you will find information on the Department’s food safety grower trainings. Check back regularly for upcoming training dates.

The Grower Training courses satisfy the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in federal code §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 Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) has been awarded a grant from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support implementation of the  FSMA Produce Safety Rule. The funds allow MDA to train Montana producers and help them comply with newly implemented federal food safety regulations. Additionally, the trainings will help producers meet the standards required by institutional food buyers.

Remote Grower Trainings

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, produce grower trainings are being offered temporarily via remote delivery. In order to participate, individuals must have video and audio capability, and will be required to have both operating during the entire training.

It is a Produce Safety Alliance requirement that participants be monitored to verify participants’ attendance and engagement. Participants will only be eligible for the PSA/AFDO Certificate of Course Completion if they are present for all modules of the course. The training will take place via Zoom, which does not require special software. Zoom system requirements. Please ensure that your system meets the Zoom requirements prior to the training. There is limited space available for each training.

The next online training is completely full. Please check back for more upcoming dates.

Who Should Attend These Trainings?

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 the minimum participants isn’t met 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.

Important Notes for Registration

The Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v1.2 will be mailed to registrants prior to the training – please be sure that the shipping address you provide at the time of registration is current (especially if working from home or remotely) and capable of receiving packages. Please use an email address that you can be reached at, as evaluations and a Zoom link for the training will be sent in a confirmation email prior to the training date.

For general registration questions or questions about the training, contact Andrea Sarchet at andrea.sarchet@mt.gov