Flood waters can carry microbial and chemical contaminants that can be harmful to humans. Food crops should be assessed to determine if they have been affected by flooding surface water sources including rivers, lakes, or streams. These waters are the highest risk for contaminants. The biggest question to ask is has the edible portion of the crop been exposed to these waters? There is no way to ensure that food crops that have come in contact with contaminated flood waters are safe to eat. Food crops that have been exposed to flood waters should be destroyed so they do not enter market channels. For more information and guidance on how to handle crops and fields that have been flooded visit the Produce Safety Alliance Food Safety for Flooded Farms resource.
On-Farm Food Safety Section
Keep up with the latest news on this dynamic topic that impacts growers on multiple levels. Developing a farm food safety plan is a good idea for all growers, and may be required as part of food safety audits if you sell to certain buyers.
View NJAES On-Farm Food Safety Essentials
Federally Required Produce Safety Alliance Training Online September 15 and 16, 2021
The Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act is now fully implemented. This means that one person from an operation who sells over $25,000 in fresh produce needs to attend a training course. There are some exemptions and modifications to the rule, but the best way to find out is to attend the course. We will have the next online training September 15 and 16 if 10 people register by September 1. The preregistration is required since training material must be sent to each participant prior to the training. Visit our website to register.
Produce Safety Training:
The Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under the standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration’. This is the only training recognized by the FDA at this time!
Fruit and vegetables 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 should also attend this training.
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?
This is approximately a seven-hour course to cover these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module and are included in the grower manual provided. There is time for questions and discussion, so participants are encouraged to share their experiences and produce safety questions.
Benefits of Attending the Course
The course provides 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
- 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 the trainers at the end of the course.
Inspections:
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) began inspections for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for operations over $500,000. The other size operations will also be delayed by one year i.e. 2020 for small operations and 2021 for very small operations. The first inspections will be educational with the NJDA evaluating the farming operation. This will give the grower an opportunity to see what the NJDA considers area where improvement may be needed. After the inspection NJDA may do another inspection with possible enforcement in the future.
Available Food Safety Signs and Posters
We continue to get questions about what signage is required for an audit or the Produce Safety Rule and where to get them. Not all the signs listed below are, but handwashing and visitor signs need to be posted in English and in the language of the workers. For example, if you have a mixture of Spanish and Creole speakers, you will need signs in three languages.
The signs and posters listed below are available at the following locations – Rutgers Cooperative Extension office in Cumberland County (291 Morton Ave., Millville Tel. 856-451-2800 x 1) or Rutgers Cooperative Extension office in Mercer County (1440 Parkside Ave., Ewing, NJ 08638 Tel. 609-989-6830). If you would like any of the signs, please call the office to schedule a pick-up.
Please Wash Your Hands Often! (8.5x11inches) – English, Spanish, Creole, Chinese, Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Vietnamese.
Please Put Used Toilet Paper in the Toilet (8.5×11 inches) – English and Spanish
Please Use Toilets Provided in the Field (8.5×11 inches) – English and Spanish
When Must Hands Be Washed (8.5×11 and 21.5×27.5 inches) – English and Spanish
Health and Safety Notice for Visitors (21.5×27.5 inches) – English and Spanish
Cleaning and Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces (21.5×27.5 inches) – English and Spanish
Service Animals Covered by the ADA are Welcome Here (8.5×11 and 21.5×27.5 inches) – English and Spanish
Many of these signs can also be downloaded from our revised website onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu starting July 1st.
COVID Delta Variant and NJ Agriculture
As the farming season progresses so does concern for the increased prevalence of the COVID Delta variant in the region. We asked Don Schaffner, Extension Specialist, about the Delta variant and if we should be concerned about it. If you or your farm workers are in need of a vaccine please email njfarmvax@njaes.rutgers.edu and an Extension team member will assist you with finding local vaccination locations and/or determine if an on-farm vaccine clinic is possible for your workers. If you have questions about the vaccine visit the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety Vaccine Education for Growers website for information in multiple languages.
Meredith Melendez: Are we seeing an increase in cases of the COVID Delta variant in New Jersey or the region?
Don Schaffner: Yes. According to CDC, Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) had only 3.1% of all infections due to the Delta variant for the week ending 5/22/21. This percentage had jumped to 17.7% week for the week ending 6/5/21. There are not further updates at this time.
Also according to the CDC in NJ 3.4% all infections were due to the Delta variant for the week ending 5/22/21. No further New Jersey specific updates are available at this time.
MM: How is the Delta variant different than the COVID cases we saw over the past year?
DS: There are a number of reasons why there is increased concern over the Delta variant. Epidemiological data shows that the variant has increased transmissibility (i.e. it is more easily spread from person to person) than the original strain. Estimates indicate that it is about 60% more transmissible. This means that for every one person infected by the original virus, on average for the same conditions the Delta variant would spread to about 1.6 people.
One of the ways of combating the virus once someone is infected is with monoclonal antibody treatments. There is evidence that the Delta variant is more resistant to this important treatment.
There is also evidence that the Delta virus is not as readily neutralized by post-vaccination sera. Sera contain the antibodies in people that are vaccinated.
MM: Are the Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J vaccines as effective against the Delta variant?
DS: Yes. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine appears to be about 60% effective against the delta variant. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are about 88% effective after the second dose (vs. over 90% for other variants). So while the vaccines are less effective against the Delta variant, it is still much better to be vaccinated than not.
MM: Why should someone get vaccinated now if they haven’t already?
DS: Unvaccinated individuals are vulnerable to all variants of the virus. These variants arise through the natural evolution when the virus replicates inside a sick person. Since the vaccines can stop some people from getting infected, the more people that are vaccinated the better control we will have over these variants and stop new variants from evolving.
Needs Assessment Survey for RU Ready to Farm Beginner Farm Training Program
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Training Program-RU Ready to Farm is looking for input from beginner farmers on what types of subjects they would like to see covered. The 2022 season of RU Ready to Farm will feature in person workshops that are open to the general beginner farmer community, and the focus and content of these workshops will be designed according to community need and interest. If you have been farming for fewer than 10 years and would like to contribute to the development of this workshop series, the survey can be found here: RU Ready to Farm Needs Assessment.
For more information about the RU Ready to Farm program, visit: https://rubeginnerfarmer.rutgers.edu/
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? Remember that qualified exempt farms need to prove their exemption status, this can be done by using the qualified exempt review template on page 5 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 September 15th and 16th. Other online trainings are available from other states, visit the Produce Safety Alliance website for more details. The approved training covers the Produce Safety Rule requirements and ways of complying with them.
