August 15, 2025 , , and

Don’t Forget Financial Assistance for Food Safety Certification and Training Available

This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on their farms.

For 2025:

  • Application is due between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026
  • Eligible expenses must be between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025

Eligible specialty crop operations can apply for Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) by working directly with the Farm Service Agency offices at your local FSA office for details. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means.

How the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program Works

The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in 2025. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements.  FSCSC will cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a percentage of their related expenses.

Program Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for FSCSC applicants are outlined below. We recommend you review these requirements before initiating your FSCSC application.

To be eligible for FSCSC, an applicant must:

  • Have obtained or renewed: 2025 food safety certification issued during the calendar year.
  • Be a specialty crop operation (growing fresh fruits and vegetables); and meet the definition of a small business or medium size business.
  • A small (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of not more than $500,000.
  • A medium (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000.
Category of Eligible Expenses Payment Amount of Eligible Costs
Developing a Food Safety Plan for First Time Certification                      75% (no maximum)
Maintaining or Updating a Food Safety Plan                      75% up to $675
Food Safety Certification                      75% up to $2,000
Certification Upload Fees                      75% up to $375
Microbiological Testing of Produce                      75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Soil Amendments                      75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Water                      75% up to 5 tests
Training Expenses                      100% up to $500

FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs based on the percentages and maximum payment amounts.  The FSCSC application and associated forms are available online at  farmers.gov/food-safety.

You are encouraged to contact the Farm Service Agency office about FSCSC, program eligibility, or the application process. You may also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to provide one-on-one assistance.

For food safety resources, information on the Food Safety Modernization Act and third party audits go to Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, training, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
August 7, 2025 , , and

Traceability Rule (Section 204) in the Food Safety Modernization Act Delayed

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed extending the deadline for the traceability rule (Section 204) under the Food Safety Modernization Act until July 2028.  The rule was to go into effect in 2026, but FDA is allowing more time for the industry to comply based on the complexity of the rule.  FDA will publish in the Federal Register the final notices for the extension in the near future.  The extension only relates to implementation.  There are no proposed changes to the rule itself.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
August 6, 2025

FSMA Produce Safety Rule Inspections Taking Place on all Covered Farms

Are you a produce farm who has not yet had a FSMA Produce Safety Rule inspection?  Have you received communication from the NJ Department of Agriculture about the Produce Safety Rule?  Smaller size produce operations are currently being inspected by the NJDA for FSMA PSR compliance.  If you have not yet had an inspection you may be subject to one this season.  Here is what you need to know:

If you grow and sell over $25,000 in produce annually you may be subject to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.  The NJDA will contact your farm to ask several questions to understand if the rule pertains to you.  What crops do you grow?  How much in produce sales do you make on an average year?  What percentage of your sales are made direct to consumer (farm stand, farmers market, CSA, direct to an individual grocery store, direct to an individual restaurant)?  What are your total food sales (including any food for human and/or animal consumption including hay, grain, baked goods, meat, milk, honey, chewing gum, etc.) for an average year? You may have previously answered these questions via a survey that was mailed to you, or over the phone with NJDA staff.

The NJDA is currently scheduling inspections with farms across the state of all sizes.  If you receive a phone call or email from the NJDA about a Produce Safety Inspection date, do not ignore the communication.  The inspection will take place and warning letters can be sent to farms who are not in compliance with the rule.

Have questions about if your farm is exempt or qualified exempt from the rule?  Visit our decision tool webpage to answer simple questions to better understand how the FSMA PSR impacts your farm. Remember that qualified exempt farms need to prove their exemption status, this can be done by using the qualified exempt review template on page 2 and 7 of the recordkeeping guidance from the Produce Safety Alliance.

Farms that need to comply with the rule are required to attend FDA approved training.  The next training in NJ will be held online on December 9th and 10th. Other online trainings are available from other states, visit the Produce Safety Alliance website for more details.  The Produce Safety Alliance offers a self-paced online course, accessible online.   The approved training covers the Produce Safety Rule requirements and ways of complying with them.

Filed Under: Food Safety, Vegetable Crops
July 9, 2025 , , and

New Addendums for the USDA Harmonized and Harmonized Plus Audits

On July 3, 2025, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service released 3 new addenda to the Harmonized and Harmonized GAP Plus+ Standards: Warehouse, Food Defense, and Integrated Pest Management. All of which will require additional records. Requirements in the existing Harmonized and Harmonized GAP Plus+ standards have not changed. These new standards, versions 3.1 and 5.1 respectively, are effective July 3, 2025.   Growers do not need to have these addendums audited unless a buyer requests one or all.  Go to USDA Harmonized Audits to review the additions here Harmonized GAP | Agricultural Marketing Service.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 28, 2025

Farm Use of NJ Cottage Food Permit – Webinar 4/30

Learn about the NJ Cottage Food Permit and what value-added products you can, and can’t, make and sell.  Meredith Melendez will be hosted by the NJ Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee on April 30th at 6:00 PM.  The webinar is free, but registration is required.   A tour of the NOFA Farmers Process certified kitchen in Milford will take place on May 7th at 10:00 am, learn more at the webinar!

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety
March 21, 2025 , , and

Food Safety Modernization Act Traceability Rule Delayed

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced March 20 that the Traceability Rule is being delayed for 30 months.  The rule was to go into effect January 1, 2026, but now enforcement will not start for at least 2.5 years.  FDA will be publishing a proposed rule at a later date.  There are no indications at this time what changes they plan to make or how it will impact growers of different size operations.

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