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.

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June 21, 2022

USDA Announces Assistance for On-Farm Food Safety Expenses for Specialty Crop Growers

Program Details

The Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) will assist specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety certification and related expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in calendar years 2022 and 2023. For each year, FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a portion of their related expenses.

To be eligible for FSCSC, the applicant must be a specialty crop operation; meet the definition of a small business or very small business; and have paid eligible expenses related to the 2022 (issued on or after June 21, 2022) or 2023 certification.

Specialty crop operations may receive assistance for the following costs:

  • Developing a food safety plan for first-time food safety certification.
  • Maintaining or updating an existing food safety plan.
  • Food safety certification.
  • Certification upload fees.
  • Microbiological testing for products, soil amendments and water.
  • Training

FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs. A higher payment rate has been set for socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers. Details about the payment rates and limitations can be found at farmers.gov/food-safety.

Very small ($250,000) and small farms (less than 500,000) average monetary value of specialty crops sold during the 3-year period preceding the program are eligible.

Payment Amount of Eligible Costs
Category of Eligible Expenses Historically Underserved Farmer or Rancher All Other Applicants
Development of a food safety plan for first-time certification 75 percent (no maximum)

 

 50 percent (no maximum)

 
Maintaining or updating a food safety plan

 

 75 percent, up to a maximum of $375

 

 50 percent, up to a maximum of $250

 
Food safety certification

 

 75 percent, up to a maximum of $2,000

 

 50 percent, up to a maximum of $2,000

 
Certification upload fees

 

 75 percent, up to a maximum of $375

 

 50 percent, up to a maximum of $250

 
Microbiological testing – products

 

 75 percent, up to 5 tests

 

 50 percent, up to 5 tests

 
Microbiological testing – soil amendments

 

 75 percent, up to 5 tests

 

 50 percent, up to 5 tests

 
Microbiological testing – water

 

 75 percent, up to 5 tests

 

 50 percent, up to 5 tests

 
Training

 

 100 percent, up to a maximum of $300

 

 100 percent, up to a maximum of $200

 

 

Applying for Assistance

The FSCSC application period for 2022 is June 27, 2022, through January 31, 2023, and the application period for 2023 will be announced at a later date. FSA will issue payments at the time of application approval for 2022 and after the application period ends for 2023. If calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding, payments will be prorated.

Interested specialty crop producers can apply by completing the FSA-888, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) application. The application, along with other required documents, can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means. Producers can visit farmers.gov/service-locator to find their local FSA office. Specialty crop producers can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to assist.

Producers can visit farmers.gov/food-safety for additional program details, eligibility information and forms needed to apply.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
June 1, 2022

Farms and the New Jersey Cottage Food Law – Q&A

New Jersey farms may be interested in adding Cottage Food products to their product line at their farm stands and markets. The Cottage Food Law is very specific about the types of products it covers, the total sales value of the Cottage Food products, and the production location of these products. Municipalities must be consulted prior to a permit application submittal, and we know of some instances where local ordinances and zoning have prohibited Cottage Food activities. Answers to some common questions are below.

What type of business can operate under the NJ Cottage Food Law?
Businesses who choose to produce products allowed under the law (see below), using a home kitchen, and who sell less than $50,000 of cottage food law covered products must comply with the provisions of the Cottage Food Law. The law allows production of the products listed below only in home kitchens. No other facilities may be used for the production of these Cottage Food items.

What are the food items covered by the NJ Cottage Food Law?
Baked goods that do not require refrigeration.
Candies
Chocolate covered nuts and fruits
Dried fruit
Dried herbs and seasonings, and mixes
Dried pasta
Dry baking mix
Fruit jams, fruit jellies, and fruit preserves
Fruit pies, fruit empanadas, fruit tamales (not pumpkin)
Fudge
Granola, cereal, and trail mix
Sweet sorghum syrup
Nuts and nut mixtures
Nut butters
Popcorn and caramel corn
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
May 10, 2022

Emergency Prepardness Poster’s for Producers

Emergency prepardness poster’s are available from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture on the website page “Emergency Preparedness/ Homeland Security, CART” at the link: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/news/hottopics/topics050107.html

The green and white poster’s provide a quick checklist on Being Alert, Being Secure, Being Clean, and Who to Contact if suspicious activity of unexplained illness occurs on your farm. Take the time to print the most appropriate poster for you operation and add the contact information for your designated county emergency management official and designated county agent for farm related evacuations and call center activities. Remember, If you do not have your county agent phone number in your cell phone they most likely do not have yours.

SPECIFIC POSTERS

Agriculture Aviation
Animal Feed Industry
Aquaculture Industry
Cattle Industry
Dairy Industry
Equine Industry
Farmstand/Roadside Market
Fertilizer Manufacturer/Distributor Industry
Grain and Forage Producer Industry
Livestock, Poultry Auction
Poultry Industry
Slaughterhouse Industry
Small Ruminant Industry
Swine Industry
Veterinary Hospitals
Wholesale Produce Industry
Zoos, Animal Exhibits, Shows, Fairs and Petting Zoos

For all producers and pet owners, species-specific information related to evacuations and shelter locations can be found in the County Animal Response Teams (CART) tab at https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/animalemergency/

Specific information useful to livestock and equine owners is also available at https://www.fema.gov/blog/preparing-farm-animals-disaster

*Producers farming in the ten-mile radius emergency planning zone of the Salem Nuclear Power Plants should print and post the most recent addition of the New Jersey-Delaware Emergency Plan Information Booklet. 

**Salem County producers, if you would like to participate in a ‘mock evacuation’ planning session for livestock and horses, and fill out your customized plan, contact Melissa Bravo at the County Extension Office.

 

 

Filed Under: Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
April 29, 2022

The NJ Plastic Bag Ban and Your Retail Farm Market

The NJ plastic bag ban will impact retail farm markets starting May 4th.  Note that enforcement of this ban will vary based on your retail sales location.  Counties and municipalities may use their health or other departments for enforcement along with the DEP. Without specific guidance on how to enforce the ban in farm retail settings there will likely be variations based on location.

Some key pieces of information about the rule that may impact your market are detailed below:

Paper bags are banned only for stores that are identified as a “grocery store”.  If you are not considered a grocery store (see definition below) you may use paper bags.

Grocery stores are defined as “self-service retail establishment that occupies at least 2,500 square feet and that sells household foodstuffs for offsite consumption, including fresh produce, meat, poultry, deli products, dry foods, baked foods, prepared foods.”  We anticipate that enforcement will vary based on local jurisdiction with this definition.  If you are a retail farm market that is over 2,500 square feet, including your outdoor sales areas, it is suggested that you communicate with your municipality or county to determine if you can use paper bags or not.

The state does not define what types of plastic bags can be used for exempted items, and we have had varying guidance from DEP. Questions about the rule can be directed to singleuseplastics@dep.nj.gov Contact your municipality or county to determine how they plan to regulate exempted item bagging. DEP identifies the following items as exempt:

  • Loose items including: fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, grains, baked goods, candy, greeting cards, flowers, small hardware items
  • Uncooked meat, fish, or poultry
  • Food sliced or prepared to order, including soup and hot foods

You cannot sell single use bags at your store, except for pre-packaged bags such as bulk trash bags, pet waste bags, zip-lock bags, etc.

The regulation does not discuss biodegradable single-use bags  that can be decomposed by bacteria and other living organisms in a short period of time. The plastic bag ban is specific to single-use bags made from a synthetic materials. Many biodegradable bags are made from corn-based materials and have improved in their strength since they were first released a number of years ago. Should you plan on purchasing biodegradable bags make sure you can prove what materials they are made of in case of customer or regulatory questioning. The New Jersey Office of Innovation has a listing of companies that sell bags that are allowable under the ban.

Reusable bags ideally should be made of materials that can be easily cleaned and must have handles stitched onto them. Fabrics that can be washed and dried in a machine are preferred since the heat cycle in the dryer will kill any potential human pathogens that find their way onto the bags surface. If purchasing reusable bags to give to your customers be sure to look at the cleaning instructions and communicate proper handling of these bags to your customers. You are not required to provide reusable bags to your customers.

As we better understand this regulation, we will share that information with you.

*article updated on June 15, 2022

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops
April 18, 2022

New Online FSMA Produce Safety Rule Compliance Decision Tool

Not sure if your produce farm needs to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule? Answer a fewFSMA PSR Exemptions questions online to find out! https://go.rutgers.edu/bxi4dfrf

For more information on produce safety, including the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and buyer required third-party audits visit our Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety webpage.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety
March 18, 2022

Are Your Produce Buyers Talking about Third-Party Audits?

An increasing number of farms are being asked by their wholesale produce customers to comply with a third-party audit.  What do you need to know if a buyer asks you to have a third-Baskets of tomatoesparty audit?

Who would ask for a third-party audit? Current buyers of your product may notify you that you need a third-party audit in order for them to continue to purchase your product. Or a prospective buyer may tell you that in order to start purchasing your product you will need to pass a third-party audit.

What is a third-party audit? A third-party audit is an assessment of your production practices in compliance with a set of produce safety standards.  Requirements include educational training in produce safety, a written food safety plan (including written policies, standard operating procedures, documentation of activities, and records) specific to your operation that meet the standards of the audit your buyer requires. A third-party audit is conducted by an audit firm or outside agency.  The audit can take from several hours to several days based on your operation. The farm pays the audit fees and receives a certificate of compliance, the audit is required annually. Farms may have multiple buyers who require different audits, resulting in multiple audits annually.

Who conducts third-party audits? Auditing firms that buyers may rely on: USDA GAP, USDA Harmonized, Primus, Global GAP, BRC, SQF, etc. In New Jersey USDA audits are conducted by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Division of Marketing and Development.

What questions should you ask of the buyer?
– What audit firm are they requiring you to use?
– What commodities do they require the audit to cover?
– When do they require you to have the audit completed?
– What type of training is required of the farm and how often is required?

Third-party audits should not be confused with the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule, a federal regulation that most growers of produce that is typically consumed raw must comply with.

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety