NEILLSVILLE, Wis. — This course is for 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. All non-exempt farms will be required to have at least one owner or managerial staff member on site who has attended an approved FSMA Produce Safety Rule training such as this one. Even exempt farms will be required to keep certain records, which will be covered in this workshop. And regardless of your scale, everyone can benefit from learning about food safety practices on the farm!
The trainers will spend approximately nine hours of instruction time covering content contained in these seven modules: 1) Introduction to Produce Safety; 2) Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training; 3) Soil Amendments; 4) Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use; 5) Agricultural Water (part 1—Production Water and part 2—Postharvest Water); 6) Postharvest
Handling and Sanitation; and 7) How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
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: 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; Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one; and Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them.
After attending the entire course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course (participants must be at least 14 years of age to receive the AFDO certificate.)
Pre-registration is required by DECEMBER 3. You can register at fsmaproducesafety.wiscweb.wisc.edu. If you are unable to register online, please contact your local UW-Extension Office for paper registration. There needs to be a minimum of 15 people registered to hold this training.
The cost to attend the PSA Wisconsin Grower Training Course is $65 and includes the PSA Grower Training Manual, a Certificate of Course Attendance from AFDO and lunch.
Thorp Fire Hall
7:30 a.m.—5:00 p.m.
— Clark County UW-Extension
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