Jul 30, 2021

Georgia schedules farm training for Produce Safety Rule

Tift County (Georgia) Extension will host the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s training for farmers and growers on the produce safety rule. The meeting will be Aug. 12 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The cost for the course will be $20 and lunch will be provided. The 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.

The event will be held at the Tift County Extension Office, 1468 Carpenter Road South, Tifton, Georgia, 31793.

Any produce grower who grows, 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. As of January 2018, larger grower operations (with more than $500,000 in annual sales) must comply with the Produce Safety Rule.

Registration will be limited to 15 participants and will be first come, first served.

You can register here: Produce Safety Training.