Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
No current class scheduled.
Check back in the future or email theresa.tilton@maine.edu to be added to our waiting list and learn when a new class is scheduled.
Who Should Attend:
Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, farm food safety best practices, and co-management of natural resources and food safety. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires “At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.”
This workshop is offered in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
Taking this class grants up to three pesticide credits!
Note: Grant funded; limited to Maine residents only.
- Minimum number of registrations: 10
- Maximum number of registrations: 25
Technology requirements:
Computer with audio and video capabilities and a broadband internet connection capable of stable videoconferencing using Zoom.
Registration is Now Closed
Check our other classes and future offerings of FSMA Produce Safety on the Food Safety Training Opportunities page
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course:
The trainers will spend approximately seven hours of instruction time covering the content contained in these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Post-harvest Water)
- Post-harvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
Benefits of Attending the Course:
Participants will receive up to three (3) pesticide credits upon completion of this workshop.
The course will provide a foundation of farm food safety best practices and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of:
- Microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm
- How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks, and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm
- Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one
- Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them.
- After attending the entire course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course.
For more information about the training, contact Robson Machado at robson.machado@maine.edu or 207.581.3144.
If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation or need a translator to participate in this program, please contact Theresa Tilton at theresa.tilton@maine.edu or 207.942.7396 to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 10 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request. However, all requests will be considered.
In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).