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

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FDA Q&A: Records, Compliance and Enforcement

Records, Compliance and Enforcement Subparts O and P
Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rule

This FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed recordkeeping, compliance, and enforcement within the impending Food Safety Modernization Act produce rule.

Questions asked during this conference call were:

1. Do lot numbers need to stay the same from supplier to supplier? Currently each supplier assigns its own lot number to a box, can this still occur?
Yes, changing the lot number is OK. Each supplier will need to keep records of what they received and the information that they assigned to each box. There needs to be a way to trace product back and forth one step. [Read more…]

FDA Q&A: Health, Hygiene and Training

Food Safety Modernization Act Question and Answer Session on Health, Hygiene and Training, subpart D.

This FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed health, hygiene and training focus areas of the impending Food Safety Modernization Act produce rule.
Questions asked during this conference call were:

[Read more…]

FDA Food Safety Q&A: Equipment, Tools, Buildings & Sanitation

The FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed equipment, tools, buildings and sanitation practices that will be affected by the impending Food Safety Modernization Act produce rule.

Here are the questions and answers from that call:

1. Are cats permitted in packing houses? They serve as effective rodent control.

[Read more…]

FDA Food Safety Q&A: Growing, Harvesting, Packing & Holding Produce

The FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed the growing, harvesting, packing and holding of produce.

Here are the questions and answers from that call:

1. Will growers be expected to use food grade containers? [Read more…]

FDA Food Safety Q&A: Wild and Domestic Animals

The FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed domestic and wild animals. This conference call focused on the potential impact of the rule on production practices regarding animals.

1. The phrase is used “growers will act appropriately” regarding potential contamination from animals on the farm. This phrase is very vague; will there be guidance from the FDA detailing what is “appropriate” action?no dogs please [Read more…]

Food Safety for Small-scale Farmers

A webinar to help farmers selling or desiring to sell produce to wholesale markets, restaurants, schools or grocery stores requesting documented food safety programs by the farm operation. [Read more…]