Tag: Produce Safety Program

Produce Safety Program Offers Flooding Response Resources for California Produce Growers

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The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Produce Safety Program announces a new Flooding Response Resources section has been added to its PSP Educate webpage.

As seasonal storms are underway, this new section offers several educational resources related to flooding and produce safety on farms. The California agricultural community is encouraged to visit this site regularly as new resources become available.

In Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Human Consumption, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines flooding in the context of produce safety as the flowing or overflowing of water from sources outside a farmer’s control onto lands used to grow, harvest, pack, or hold produce. Flooding events can pose a public health risk as flood waters may contain sewage, chemicals, heavy metals, pathogenic microorganisms, and other contaminants.

If the edible portion of a crop is exposed to floodwaters, it is considered adulterated under section 402(a)(4) (21 U.S.C. 342(a)(4)) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and should not enter human food channels. For crops that were in or near flooded areas but whose edible portion did NOT contact flood waters, growers should evaluate the safety of the crops for human consumption on a case-by-case basis for possible adulteration.

If you are impacted by flooding or would like to receive more information on how to respond to flooding with regards to produce safety, please reach out to us at producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov. The CDFA Produce Safety Program can provide technical assistance to California produce growers and can help connect you with experts through the CDFA Technical Assistance Program.

CDFA Produce Safety Program Announces Development of New Digital Farm Data Repository Website

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The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Produce Safety Program (PSP) announces the development of a new digital pathway for fresh produce farmers in California to access their own inspection records and produce safety resources online.

Starting in late 2024, California fresh produce farmers will be able to log into a new cloud-based PSP farm data repository website to view their own farm information and have on-demand access to their digital produce safety inspection reports related to their own farms.

In addition, the PSP farm data repository website will provide resources to support on-farm compliance with the requirements of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule and provide a convenient way for California farmers to connect with PSP staff. The new technology will also allow the Produce Safety Program to focus inspection efforts based on food safety risk factors to help ensure a safe and quality food supply for all consumers.

This project will be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 is planned for release in early 2024, with Phase 2 expected to be in development throughout the year and a full system launch anticipated in late 2024.

The CDFA Produce Safety Program’s mission is to ensure California produce farmers understand how to comply with the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule, resulting in a safer food supply for the people of California and beyond. The central PSP farm data repository website helps to put the “M” in the Food Safety Modernization Act for a safer produce supply chain and to align with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety.

How California produce farmers can prepare for Produce Safety Rule inspection

Posted in EducationTagged , ,
Image of Sarah Standiford with the words "Interview with Produce Safety Program inspector gives tips on how to prepare for Produce Safety Rule inspection," with reference to the interview linked in the article and the CDFA Produce Safety Program logo

The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) has published an interview with Sarah Standiford of CDFA’s Produce Safety Program as part of a Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) case study series. The interview highlights how California farms can prepare for a FSMA Produce Safety Rule inspection.

The article’s Q&A format reviews the background of why CDFA performs these inspections on behalf of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the steps that occur during an inspection, and tips for farmers preparing for an inspection.

“CDFA really values ‘soft skills’ in their inspectors and we understand that growers’ farms are their livelihoods,” Standiford says in the interview. “CDFA’s Produce Safety Program is here to help farms feel comfortable with the FSMA produce safety requirements and to foster compliance with the Produce Safety Rule. It’s a shared responsibility between growers, inspectors and farm employees – we all need to work together to keep our food safe.”

Click here to read the CAFF interview, “FSMA Inspection Case Study: CDFA FMSA PSP Inspector.” 

Click here to view this original post on CDFA’s Planting Seeds blog.

Save the Date – March 11 webinar offers discussion about proposed agricultural water requirements for Produce Safety Rule

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Western States Webinar on Proposed Agricultural Water Rule

Save the date for a western states webinar 10-11 a.m. (PST) March 11 on a revision proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to Subpart E of its Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule that would change the pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce (other than sprouts).

The webinar is co-hosted by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for the western states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

FDA’s proposed revision, for which FDA developed an Agricultural Water Assessment Fact Sheet, is intended to address stakeholder concerns about the complexity and practical implementation of certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements. The proposed revision does not change requirements for agricultural water used during and after harvest, or for sprouts. If enacted as proposed, the revision would introduce a systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessment to evaluate potential hazards and guide risk management decision-making on the farm. Public comments about the FDA’s proposed revision may be submitted via the Federal Register until April 5, 2022.

During the webinar, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross will give opening remarks, then a subject matter expert from FDA will provide a brief overview of the proposed revision. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask FDA officials questions about the proposed revision. In California, the Produce Safety Rule is regulated on FDA’s behalf by the CDFA Produce Safety Program. Questions may be shared with presenters and hosts ahead of the webinar by submitting them to producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov. Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WesternProposedAgWater to receive login instructions for the March 11 webinar. Participation is limited to 500 people on a first-come, first-served basis.

Produce Safety Program Supervisor Discusses Produce Safety Rule Impact on California Farmers in Radio Interview

Posted in Announcements, Education, Implementation, RegulationTagged , , , ,
CDFA Produce Safety Program Regulates the FDA Food Modernization Act

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Produce Safety Program (PSP) Supervisor Shelley Phillips was recently interviewed by “Farmer Fred” Hoffman on KSTE radio’s “Farm Hour” program to discuss the impact of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) on California farmers.

CDFA created the PSP to “Educate then Regulate” California farmers about the PSR under the authority of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), in partnership with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). FSMA was passed in 2011 to help prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. PSR implementation and enforcement is occurring in stages between 2019 and 2021.

“It’s a way for the FDA to be proactive about food safety rather than being reactive when we have outbreaks or other issues surrounding food safety,” Phillips says about the PSR during the interview.

Items Phillips discusses during the 10-minute interview include:

  • Which farms are required to verify PSR compliance and which farms are PSR exempt
  • What proactive measures farmers are required to follow under the PSR
  • The current stage of PSR implementation and inspections
  • How “small” farmers (average annual sales of $250,000–$500,000 during the previous three-year period) should fill out and submit a recent questionnaire that the CDFA mailed, in order to be prepared for the next stage of PSR inspections
  • What farmers should expect during all stages of a PSP inspection, from initial contact to a follow-up inspection report
  • The educational resources available on www.cdfa.ca.gov/producesafety to help farmers understand and prepare for PSR compliance, including scheduling an On-Farm Readiness Review

“The inspector is there to assist the farmer, so any questions that the farmer may have is fair game,” Phillips says at the interview’s conclusion. 

Click here to hear the full interview.

PRODUCE SAFETY RULE UPDATE – CDFA MAILS QUESTIONNAIRES TO SMALLER PRODUCE FARMS

Posted in Announcements, Education, Implementation, RegulationTagged , , ,
Small and Very Small Produce Farmer Questionnaire

SACRAMENTO, July 25, 2019 – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is announcing that starting next week, 8,000 “small” and “very small” produce farms throughout California are being mailed educational letters about their roles in upholding the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), passed in 2011 to help prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. Accompanying the letters are questionnaires to be returned to the CDFA by August 31 in order to verify commodities grown, determine whether annual sales qualify farms for a PSR exemption, and to help prioritize future inspections. The current stage of inspections to verify PSR compliance has been taking place since April for “large” farms.

“California has many more produce farms than any other state in the nation,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Approximately 20,000 farms in the Golden State will now be subject to new food safety regulations under the Produce Safety Rule.”

PSR regulations include ensuring produce is properly handled by workers, that farm equipment is sanitary, that produce is grown with safe soil inputs, and that measures are in place to prevent contamination of produce by wildlife or domesticated animals. These regulations are similar to food safety plans that many farmers have been implementing for years, and that most grocery stores and restaurants already require. However, the Produce Safety Rule now makes food safety on farms federal law.

To help implement the PSR, CDFA created the Produce Safety Program (PSP) to educate farmers and then conduct on-farm inspections on behalf of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PSP farmer education resources include a website, a Facebook page and an e-newsletter. Website features include the ability to schedule an On-Farm Readiness Review, and to register for a Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Course. This course is mandatory for at least one employee of every produce farm covered under the new regulations and is the best way for farmers to learn about required food safety practices.

In the current PSR stage:

  • Inspections are underway for “large” produce farms with average annual sales of $500,000 or greater during the previous three-year period.
  • “Small” farms with average annual sales of $250,000–$500,000 during the previous three-year period are now expected to be in PSR compliance, with inspections set to begin in January 2020.
  • “Very small” farms with average annual sales of $25,000–$250,000 during the previous three-year period must be in general compliance by January 2020, with inspections set to begin in January 2021.

Any farm that does not comply with the Produce Safety Rule may face economic, regulatory and legal consequences. Minor violations will be handled through on-site education, in line with an “Educate Then Regulate” commitment. However, if there is significant and imminent threat to public health, a PSP inspector will inform the FDA and the California Department of Public Health, which may perform accelerated on-farm follow-up inspections or administrative detention orders up to and including seizure of the product that could cause people to get sick.
 
Visit www.cdfa.ca.gov/producesafety