Questions about whether a farm is covered by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule regulation can seem complicated, and explaining it succinctly can be difficult. The new seven-minute video from University of Minnesota Extension, "FSMA Produce Safety Rule: How does it apply to my farm?" walks through the process of understanding if your farm is not covered, qualified exempt, or fully covered by the rule and what those categories mean.
“This video takes a challenging topic that has generated many questions from growers and lays it out in a logical, understandable way. It allows Minnesota growers, and others, to understand their coverage status in seven minutes or less.”
-Betsy Bihn, director, Produce Safety Alliance
Whether or not your farm is covered by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, many produce farmers have found value in attending a FSMA Grower Training course. These courses are taught by trained fruit and vegetable farmers, Extension and Minnesota Department of Agriculture educators and cover practices that will improve the safety and quality of your fresh farm produce. If your farm is covered by the rule, attending this course satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement.
“This FSMA training is thorough and accessible and I appreciate the perspective of the diverse trainers as well as the participating farmers in the room,” says Joan Olson of Prairie Drifter Farm. “I left the training with new ideas to implement on our farm and a better working knowledge of food safety practices. This is worth the time to attend.”
Upcoming dates and locations:
- Crookston, Dec. 3
- Waseca, Dec. 18
- St. Cloud, Jan. 15
- Rogers, Jan. 30
- Grand Rapids, Feb. 11
- Farmington, Feb. 26
- Willmar, March 10
- Isanti, March 19
- Winona, April 9
- Lamberton, April 15
Visit Growing Safe Food to learn more about the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and other on-farm food safety topics.