On October 6, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Produce Safety Program (PSP) joined the Fresno State Smart Farm University Project to present on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and regulatory produce safety inspections conducted in California.
The Smart Farm University Project, led by Fresno State’s Project Coordinator Juan Jose Rodriguez, aims to provide education, training and assistance to farmers, ranchers and foresters throughout the California Central Valley region by hosting a series of weekly workshops with varying topics. The workshops are at no cost and open to farmers of all experience levels with a focus on agricultural business, conservation and technology, with the goal of promoting business growth and developing market opportunities.
PSP Produce Safety Rule and Outreach Specialist Angela Terrazas shared with attendees on what to expect during a regulatory inspection and best practices on topics including worker health and hygiene, agricultural water, soil amendments, cleaning and sanitation, and domesticated animals and wildlife.
Terrazas also discussed several of CDFA’s no-cost food safety education services including Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Trainings in partnership with CDFA Farm to School Network, On-Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRRs), and technical assistance through the CDFA Technical Assistance Program (TAP).
If interested in partnering with CDFA PSP on a future food safety training event or to learn more about our no-cost food safety services, please contact producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov.
If you have questions about the Produce Safety Rule, please contact producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov. To stay up to date with news related to CDFA’s Produce Safety Program, sign up for the Produce Safety Program Mailing List by checking the Inspection Services Division (ISD) / Inspection and Compliance Branch / Produce Safety Program box. To learn more about CDFA’s Produce Safety Program, please visit https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/producesafety/.