Produce SAFETY GROWER TRAINING INFORMATION
Future training courses are being planned in Montana and will be posted here once they have been scheduled. You are welcome to take the PSA Grower training wherever it is offered. See a list of upcoming courses by clicking here.
The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) has taken the lead in developing the standardized national produce safety training curriculum to prepare fresh produce growers to meet the regulatory requirements in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.
Currently, this training curriculum is the only FDA approved training to meet the FSMA requirements for farms that are subject to the Produce Safety Rule. The FSMA Produce Safety Rule requires at least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm to have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the FDA.
If you have questions about whether a training will meet the requirements, please contact Andrea Sarchet at the Department of Agriculture (406) 444-0131 or andrea.sarchet@mt.gov .
GROWER TRAINING COURSES
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 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 federal produce safety regulations. In addition to helping producers comply with FSMA, the training courses will also help them meet the standards required by institutional food buyers.