2019 ASHS Annual Conference

The fresh produce industry is under increased pressure to improve their food safety practices. Historically food safety has been market driven through buyer required third party audits. The Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule (FSMA PSR), which went into effect for the largest farms on January 26, 2018, makes food safety regulatory for fresh produce growers. This rule is the result of large-scale human pathogen outbreaks associated with produce typically consumed raw. While these outbreaks are commonly associated with large scale wholesale production, farms of all sizes and distribution types are affected by the FSMA PSR.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension, collaborating with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA), have been the educational provider for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved food safety curriculum. The Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety team has provided the PSA training for the produce industry in New Jersey since 2016 and delivers full day certificate based educational workshops covering worker health and hygiene, soil amendments, wildlife and domestic animals, pre- and post- harvest water use, postharvest handling and sanitation and developing an on-farm food safety plan. This training covers the basic information for growers to comply with the Produce Safety Rule.

From December 2016 to May 2018, 364 participants were trained, 163 of those participants with valid email addresses were surveyed and 41 returned the survey for a 25% response rate. The evaluative online survey was created in Qualtrics™. Participants surveyed were asked 18 questions ranging from demographic information to changes made on the farm as a result of taking the PSA training.

Survey results show that 83% of the respondents are responsible for the food safety on their farm and 79% have farmed over ten years. Of these respondents, 71% sell their produce through wholesale channels and 99% were able to maintain or add new market access. The most significant changes were in the areas of worker health and hygiene and post-harvest handling and sanitation.

Under worker health and hygiene, improved worker training, jewelry policy, better signage and updated wash facilities were among the changes made. For post-harvest handling and sanitation, participants indicated improvements made were increased cleaning and sanitation of tools, harvest containers and equipment and the creation of standard operating procedures. Survey results are being used to develop more advanced training to meet the specific needs of New Jersey produce growers.