Water testing is a major component of FSMA. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that growers begin sampling agricultural water to create a microbial water quality profile when they need to start complying with FSMA. No grower needs to start sampling until January, 2018 (growers over $500,000), small growers 2019 (growers between $250,000 and $500,000) and very small growers 2020 ($25,000 to $250,000). All growers have 2 to 4 years to complete sampling. How many samples are needed is not clear at this point. FDA is revisiting the water [Read more…]
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 Publications
May 3, 2017 Meredith Melendez
Ag Water and Produce Safety
April 19, 2017 Wes Kline
Updated USDA Harmonized Audit Standards
The updated USDA Harmonized Audit Standards and Checklists are to be used starting on May 1, 2017. The USDA has made changes to the Harmonized audits. Most changes are minor. Listed below are the section numbers with major changes for each audit.
Field Operations and Harvesting Standard:
2.1.3, 2.4.3.4, 2.4.3.5, 2.4.3.6 and section 5 has been added
Post-harvest Operations:
1.5.3, 1.12.1 (moved from 1.23.2 and numbers shifted down one), 1.13.12, section 4 added
To obtain the updated Harmonized Standards that are to be used with the new Harmonized checklists starting on May 1, 2017, please go to the United Fresh’s website. Also, there is a redline version of these Standards that show the items that were changed on the United Fresh website.
For the checklists that go with the standards go to the USDA Audit Services webpage and select the version for 5/1/17.
September 6, 2016 Meredith Melendez
FSMA Produce Grower Certification Training Dates
Six training dates for the FSMA Produce Rule Grower Training Course have been set at locations throughout the state.
Training Dates and Locations
December 14 and 15 – Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County, 291 Morton Ave., Millville, NJ 08332
February 9 – New Jersey Agricultural Convention, Harrah’s Resort Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ
February 22 and 23 – Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, 930 Spruce St., Trenton, NJ 08648
March 1 and 2 – Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County, 291 Morton Ave., Millville, NJ 08332
March 8 and 9 – Marucci Center for Blueberry & Cranberry Research and Extension Center, 125A Lake Oswego Rd., Chatsworth, NJ 08019
March 22-23 – (Tentative) Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Hunterdon County, 314 State Route 12, Bldg. 2 Flemington, NJ 08822
Who Should Attend
Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), co-management, and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce [Read more…]
August 30, 2016 Meredith Melendez
DIY Hand Washing Stations
You have heard us say it many times, hand washing is one of the most important ways of reducing the risk of human pathogen contamination of produce. Hand washing stations should be easy to use, and they do not need to be expensive to be effective. Portability is important for field work that may take place away from fixed hand washing locations. A build your own model can cost less than $25. You need potable water, soap, single use paper towels, a trash receptacle and a method of catching the grey water. There are lots of options out there, you just need to be a little creative to figure out what will work best for your operation. The Rutgers info sheet below shows the materials needed to build one portable model. Other options, such as the pictured hands free clip on station, are available online.
August 2, 2016 Meredith Melendez
Recordkeeping in 2016 Important for FSMA Exemption and Compliance in 2018
The FDA expects fresh produce growers to prove their exemption or need for compliance with the FSMA Produce Rule starting January 2018. The catch is that they will expect to see records from the previous three years. Keep this in mind so that if you are asked to show your records in 2018 in relation to the FSMA Produce Rule you will be prepared with records starting in 2016. The FDA has not yet specified the exact documents that they are looking for. You should be prepared to show evidence of the total amount of human and animal food sold by the farm.
