Grow your farm’s food safety culture
By Kiera Ebeling, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
There are many things to look forward to in 2024, one of those things being a Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training to be held in Vermont. This one-day training, hosted by University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont Produce Program, focuses on understanding good agricultural practices and the Produce Safety Rule, incorporating these practices into your daily routine, and creating a food safety culture on your farm!
Our time together will look like presentations on the components of the FDA Produce Safety Rule (and why it exists!), how to develop and implement a food safety plan, and an opportunity to connect with other growers. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. By the end of the training, you should be able to identify and reduce produce safety risks on your farm. You will also receive a certificate verifying your completion of the course.
This course is open to all growers, farmworkers, gleaners, and those who support farms. If you or someone on your farm has already completed the PSA Grower Training, please consider attending as a refresher or sending another employee. Not only can this training enrich your farm’s food safety culture and employees’ working knowledge, it also serves as professional development that your employees can carry with them throughout their farming careers.
This training satisfies the FDA Produce Safety Rule requirement for covered farms that “at least one supervisor or responsible party” completes food safety training “recognized as adequate” by FDA (21 C.F.F. 112.22(c)).
The Vermont training will be offered at minimal cost to attendees; for more information about the PSA Grower Training Course and other training options, including an online course, visit the PSA website at cals.cornell.edu/produce-safety-alliance/training/grower-training-course.
To be notified via email or phone when registration opens for the Vermont training, contact Kiera Ebeling at kiera.ebeling@vermont.gov or 802-461-6152. Registration information will also be available on our website at agriculture.vermont.gov/produce.
The training will be delivered in English; please contact us for translated materials or other accommodations.