November 18, 2020

What produce safety concerns keep you up at night?

Work in or around produce safety?  We have a new project that wants to know what produce safety concerns keep you up at night.  In this anonymous online survey you will be asked toWilted crops rank your top five produce safety risk management areas that need improvement.  The information collected will be used to guide Extension work nationally and the development of resources to help manage risks and comply with regulations.

This survey should take about ten minutes to complete and there is no direct benefit to you for completing this survey.  The first survey question, the informed consent, must be answered yes in order to proceed through the survey. The informed consent will give you more details about the nature of the survey,  the handling of any information collected, and contact information should you have questions about this survey. Anyone involved in the produce industry who is at least 18 years of age may take this survey.  Please click on the link below to enter the survey.  https://go.rutgers.edu/4tuxsrdf

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
October 21, 2020

FSMA Produce Safety Rule Online Training Opportunities

There are two online opportunities to complete the required educational training for farms who need to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule.  The first is a self-paced online class provided by the Produce Safety Alliance, the second is a two day virtual training with the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety Team.  See details below for more specific information.

Online PSA Grower Training Course, Sign up today for discount ($125) through October 31, 2020!
• This course satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement that at least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training
• Complete at your own pace online for 15-30 hour over three weeks
• No webcam or microphone needed
• Discussion groups and self check quizzes
For more information or to sign up go to https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/training/grower-training-courses/online-psa-grower-training-course/.

Live FSMA Virtual Training Course via Zoom: January 12 an 13, 2021.
• This course satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement that at least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training
• Webcam and microphone required
• Must attend both days from 10:30-3:30 to receive your certificate
• Space is limited, 16 spots left
• Deadline to register is 12/31/20 with no exceptions
For more information or to sign up please visit http://rutgersonfarmfoodsafety.eventbrite.com

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
June 2, 2020

Are Disinfectant Wipes Working for You?

Disinfectant wipes can seem like an easy Disinfecting wipesoption to disinfect surfaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. Label instructions for disinfectant wipes include a “allow to remain wet” statement for efficacy. In many cases, the surface needs to stay wet for at least 4 minutes in order to be effective. Check your product label to verify the time for your specific wipes.

How wet your wipe is to start, how large of a surface you use the wipe on, the surface type and environmental conditions will all impact how long the surface stays wet. In a simple test to evaluate the ability to maintain the required wet time, three disinfectant wipe products were tested on fours surfaces. In an indoor setting at 70 degrees and 60% relative humidity without much air movement these wipes were used on a finished wood surface, a solid countertop, a plastic folding table, and a plastic table cloth. In all cases one wipe on a 4 [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
May 30, 2020

On-Farm Direct Marketing Webinar Series Now Online

The four-part On-Farm Direct Marketing webinar series recordings are now available online and linked below.
Social Distancing and Safe Food Handling Guidance for Farm Markets, Wes Kline
Sales and Distribution Strategies, Bill Bamka and Steve Komar
U-Pick Guidance for Compliance with Executive Orders, Meredith Melendez
Farmer Panel Discussion, Featuring Tracy Duffield, Jessica Neiderer, and David Specca

For more production agriculture resources on COVID-19, including printable signage for customers and farmworkers visit the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety COVID-19 webpage.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , ,
May 27, 2020

Cloth Face Covering Requirements for Customers and Employees

Covid guidelines for small buisnessesAs farms start-up their pick-your-own seasons we are becoming more aware of negative customer feedback on social media sites.  Comments have mostly been specific to the requirement of customers wearing face coverings while outside at a farm retail business.  Your farm is deemed an “essential retail business” allowing you to be open, but requiring you to follow state guidelines.  Customers are required to wear cloth face coverings at all times while at any essential retail business, including farm markets, farm stands, and pick-your-own locations.  Those with health conditions where a face covering would cause a negative impact on their health and children under the age of two are exempted from this requirement.   This season will be unlike any other you have had at the farm, and your customers experience will be different than what they are used to.  This season your farm has the opportunity to provide a safe place to obtain local, healthy food, and hopefully they will make a few good memories while practicing social distancing and using face coverings appropriately.

We have gathered resources to help convey the Governors Executive Orders, and their impacts to your farm operation, below.  The second link is the newly released NJDH printable poster outlining the requirements of all businesses allowed to operate during this time, including the mandate all operating businesses require customers and employees to wear face coverings.

NJ Executive Order 122 – Full length (see page 6, letter K for specifics)
“Require workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings while on the premises, except where doing so would inhibit that individuals health or where the individual is under two years of age.”

NJDH Guidance for Retail Businesses – Requirements for all Businesses Continuing to Operate (printable poster)
“Require workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings, and require workers to wear gloves.”

NJDH/NJDA/DOL Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, Their Employers, and Housing Providers
“Workers must wear face coverings at all times, including during transportation, while working, and while in the presence of others.”

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , ,
May 15, 2020 and

Portable Toilets at Farm Markets and Tailgate Markets

Portable toiletsHaving a sufficient number of portable toilet facilities and properly cleaning and disinfecting them is even more important with COVID-19.  Your labor force may have increased, and your customer volume may be up.  You may need to rent additional toilets or have them serviced more frequently if the farm traffic warrants. A good portable toilet company will be prompt and thorough with their servicing and will leave documentation that each unit has been serviced.

Between visits from the servicing company, someone on your staff should be trained to clean and disinfect the units at least twice a day. Clean the hard surfaces using a detergent or soap and water followed by rinsing with potable water prior to disinfecting. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains a list of disinfectants to use against COVID-19. It is imperative, once you have selected a product, to pay close attention to the contact time on the label which can vary from 1 to 10 minutes. This is the time that the surface MUST remain wet with the product for it to be effective. These disinfectants are for hard surfaces only- do not apply to produce or skin. Wear gloves since these products can irritate the skin.

A household bleach solution can be used to disinfect surfaces. Prepare the solution by mixing 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water. Bleach and disinfectants should be stored in non-clear containers and used within 30 days after opening.  Proper ventilation and gloves are necessary when mixing this disinfection solution. For more details on using bleach as a disinfectant please read our earlier Plant and Pest Advisory post.  An alcohol solution with at least 70% alcohol can also be used to disinfect.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , ,