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Fresh produce does not receive a “kill step” prior to consumption, therefore farms must implement food safety practices to reduce the risk of contamination during growing, harvesting, packing, and holding activities. Food safety training programs are designed to educate farm workers on implementation of practices that reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses.
Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) grower trainings are educational programs aimed at providing fruit and vegetable farmers with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement food safety practices on their farms. These trainings are designed to meet the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and cover topics such as employee health and hygiene, water quality, and the development of food safety plans. The PSA grower trainings are led by experienced instructors and are offered in a variety of formats, including in-person workshops, online courses, and self-paced modules. These trainings provide farmers with a solid foundation in produce safety and help them to understand the importance of preventing foodborne illness in their communities.
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Citrus Research and Extension Center
On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) is a voluntary program offered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assist fruit and vegetable growers in preparing for compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. OFRR is a farm-specific, non-regulatory assessment of a grower's current food safety practices and infrastructure. During an OFRR, a trained inspector visits the farm to evaluate its operations, provide education on the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and offer recommendations for improving food safety practices. The goal of the OFRR is to help growers identify and address potential food safety hazards on their farms before they become a public health risk. Participation in the OFRR program is confidential and does not affect a grower's compliance status with FSMA regulations. Learn More
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Citrus Research and Extension Center
Preventive Controls for Human Food is a regulation mandated under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011. This regulation requires food manufacturers to develop and implement preventive measures to ensure the safety of their products. The Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation includes a hazard analysis, preventive controls, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and recordkeeping. Compliance with this regulation is mandatory for most domestic and foreign facilities that produce, process, pack or hold human food for consumption in the United States. Learn More
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Citrus Research and Extension Center
HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. Learn More
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Citrus Research and Extension Center
The University of Florida in collaboration with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, is developing digestible remote learning produce food safety videos that are accessible to small, beginning, and minority growers. These videos will be free of charge and accessible to growers throughout the United States. The intended result of the videos and resources produced is to increase awareness of food safety risks and identify practices to implement on the farm.
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The overall goal of the Southern Center is to build a collaborative infrastructure in the Southern US to support Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliant training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance as it relates to the produce industry.
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Citrus Research and Extension Center
CONTACT is an integrative research project that investigates different food-pathogen combinations to support produce safety decisions. This research project involves a consortium of researchers and extension specialists from 9 land grant universities and one federal agency. It examines food safety strategies and methodologies across multiple geographic regions to address the needs for a systematic validation of food safety metrics.
Fruit and vegetable growers are continually assessing their operations to determine where they can limit risk and increase productivity. As a result, Bridging the GAPs takes the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training principles a step further by educating farmers about on-farm systems and practices that can fit within their current food safe operation. These day-long workshops are led by extension specialists across the Southeast to learn how to meet the Produce Safety Rule requirments, and how to verify that the system is operating as intended.
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Citrus Research and Extension Center
Tomato Good Agricultural Practices (Tomato GAP) are a set of guidelines developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure the safety and quality of tomato production. The guidelines address various aspects of tomato production, including water quality, pesticide use, worker health and hygiene, and recordkeeping. The goal of Tomato GAP is to minimize the risk of contamination and promote safe and sustainable tomato production. Adherence to Tomato GAP is voluntary, but many buyers require that suppliers comply with these guidelines to ensure that the tomatoes they purchase meet certain safety and quality standards.
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Food Science and Human Nutrition
This conference focuses on key issues facing our industry, and spans the topics of global juice and beverage technology to the marketing of new and innovative products. Join us for discussions on the impact of new regulations, particularly FSMA and its key rules, on our industry, as well as updates on quality and consumer testing, technology in the processing plants, and interesting new research and consumer insights regarding the beverage category. Learn More
For more information contact:
University of Florida
UF/IFAS Food Science & Human Nutrition
Shared-use commercial kitchens are widespread in Florida, and new food entrepreneurs may have limited knowledge of food safety practices such as sanitation and allergen controls. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) created the Preventive Control for Human Foods (PCHF) Rule, which applies to food processing facilities, and new food businesses operating in shared-use facilities must follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and learn the basic concepts of the PCHF rule. A proposed project aims to develop a curriculum updated with FSMA requirements, build human and organizational capacity for understanding and applying food safety practices, and implement a monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan to assess effectiveness. Workshops will be held in shared-use facilities, and participants will learn proper techniques for implementing food safety practices and leave with an understanding of the PCHF rule.
Food safety environmental monitoring involves regularly testing the food processing environment, equipment, and surfaces for harmful microorganisms or other hazards. This process helps identify potential sources of contamination and ensures that the food processing facility is following proper sanitation procedures. The collected data is then analyzed to make necessary adjustments to the facility's cleaning and sanitation procedures to prevent contamination and maintain food safety.
Biological soil amendments are natural fertilizers made from animal manure or human waste that are applied to soil to improve crop growth. However, they can also contain harmful pathogens that may contaminate produce and cause foodborne illnesses. Therefore, the FDA has established regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) to minimize the risk of microbial contamination from biological soil amendments by setting standards for their use and application.
For more information contact:
University of Florida
Citrus Research and Extension Center
