PURPOSE
This one-day training will cover the standardized curriculum designed by the Produce Safety Alliance, which meets the regulatory requirements of the Produce Safety Rule under FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act). 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:
Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them successfully;
Microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm;
How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks, and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm; and
Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Any produce grower who grows, packs, harvests, and/or holds covered produce, makes over $25,000 in annual produce sales (on average, based on the past three years of sales), and does not qualify for a Produce Safety Rule exemption is required to attend this training under new federal regulations. Any farmers who grows and sells raw produce should attend. As of January 2018, larger grower operations (with more than $500,000 in annual sales) must comply with the Produce Safety Rule.
Cost is $20. The registration deadline is February 23. For more information, contact Elizabeth Stalvey with the Georgia Department of Agriculture:
229-472-2635