Extension to Offer Last Produce Safety Grower Training Opportunity in May

By Rebekah Hall

On May 15, the Cooperative Extension Service will offer its last produce safety grower training until a new funding opportunity is secured for the program. Sarah Bakker, extension food systems and food safety program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said attendance is critical for farmers’ success.

“This will be our last training session until we are able to secure a new funding opportunity or set up the program as fee-based,” said Amanda Philyaw Perez, extension associate professor of food systems and food safety specialist for the Division of Agriculture. "Currently, we charge $25 for the training, which covers food and beverages. However, without program support, we will likely need to charge several hundred dollars per attendee.”

The training will take place from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Faulkner County Extension office at 844 Faulkner Street in Conway, Arkansas. Participants must register by May 12 at uada.formstack.com/forms/psa_faulkner. The cost is $25 to attend, and attendance is limited to 20 participants.

For fresh produce farms, the Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA, Produce Safety rule sets mandatory federal standards for growing, harvesting, packing and holding produce. Bakker said most produce farms are affected by this rule. Growers who attend the training will receive a certificate of completion, which satisfies the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Bakker said growers should secure their certification before the program is suspended, as Arkansas fruit and vegetable growers are still required to meet FSMA Produce Safety Rule standards.

“The 2011 FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act introduced regulations to protect public health by preventing food-safety incidents instead of reacting to them after they occur,” Bakker said. “This way, we can reduce financial risk to farmers and protect the public by ensuring a safe food supply.”

The training will cover new regulations for fruit and vegetable producers, including information about agricultural water, soil amendments, worker health and hygiene, wildlife management and more.

Program suspended due to funding cuts

"Through a partnership between the Division of Agriculture and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, this federally funded cooperative agreement has been vital in helping the state’s produce industry meet federal standards since 2017,” Perez said.

Perez said the produce safety team at the Division of Agriculture has trained approximately 500 local growers and industry service providers on the Produce Safety Rule’s Good Agricultural Practices and provided “valuable on-farm visits to assist growers in preparing for federal inspections.

“However, due to recent federal funding cuts, this essential outreach and training program will conclude on June 30,” Perez said. “With increasing food safety outbreaks across the country, the loss of this program marks a significant change for the state’s agricultural community.”

Perez will still be available to help growers with technical questions about produce safety. For more information on these changes or to seek additional support, contact Greg Alexander, produce safety program manager for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, at 501-225-1598, or Perez at 501-671-2228.