Purdue Extension will be hosting a three-day PrimusGFS v3.0 Training at the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center on December 5, 6, and 7. This training will provide basic information for those who anticipate using the PrimusGFS v3.0 system or will be transitioning from previous versions. Each day will cover a specific portion of the new version 3.0…Read more about Save the Date! Extension to Host PrimusGFS v3.0 Training[Read More]
Food Safety
Beginning in August, Purdue Extension will offer produce food safety trainings throughout Indiana. The trainings utilize the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) training curriculum and will be offered at multiple locations across the state. For produce farms that are covered under the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule, at least one manager or responsible person…Read more about Purdue Extension Offers Produce Food Safety Training Across Indiana[Read More]
The On Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) is now available and being offered to Indiana produce growers. The OFRR is a VOLUNTARY assessment of your farm’s readiness to be in compliance with the Produce Safety Rule. This is not an audit or inspection, but a chance for you to have a team of reviewers visit your…Read more about On Farm Readiness Review is Available for Growers[Read More]
In the last two months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released several communications dealing with the Produce Safety Rule (PRS). The following is a brief summary of those communications: Guidance On September 5, FDA released Guidance for Industry: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption: What…Read more about Produce Safety Rule Updates[Read More]
The new SafeProduceIN website is now live and may be accessed at www.SafeProduceIN.com. SafeProduceIN is a collaboration between Purdue Extension, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, and the Indiana State Department of Health. The purpose of the collaboration is to assist Indiana produce growers with implementation of the Produce Safety Rule. The new website will…Read more about New SafeProduceIN Website is Up and Running[Read More]
Managing domestic animals in a direct market venue can be very challenging. While best practice is to exclude domestic animals from production and packing areas, produce may be exposed to domestic animals at the point of sale if selling at a produce auction or farmers market. When selling through a direct market venue, growers should…Read more about Service and Companion Animals at Direct-Market Venues[Read More]
Recent heavy rains across much of the state have resulted in widespread ponding and flooding in fields. This creates multiple considerations for those growing produce for fresh consumption. Flooding and pooling create food safety challenges because of their potential to introduce contaminants (i.e. risk) into the production system. However, with proper management, many of these…Read more about Food Safety Considerations for Flooded Fields[Read More]
The North Central Regional FSMA Center is again seeking fresh produce growers input in order to determine how they can help growers comply with the Produce Safety Rule of FSMA. This is the second survey for fresh produce growers and will take about 5 minutes to complete. Your inputs, whether you responded to the first…Read more about North Central Regional Center for FSMA Training, Extension, and Technical Assistance Seeking Grower Input – Round 2[Read More]
Amanda Deering is the Indiana Leader for the North Central Region Center for Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Training, Extension and Technical Assistance. As the state leader, she is responsible for identifying and notifying partner organizations, businesses, and agencies in Indiana that can assist with communicating and disseminating information about FSMA to fruit and vegetable producers….Read more about North Central Region Center for FSMA Seeking Grower Input[Read More]
I have recently received calls from growers who use surface water to irrigate produce crops. Their concern was that the results of their current water tests were very different from their last tests and that levels of indicator organisms appeared to have increased dramatically. Ponds and lakes that are used for irrigation can be very…Read more about What’s Causing My Water Test Results to Change?[Read More]