Produce Safety Alliance Grant for Enhanced FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Compliance and Produce Safety Training

The purpose of the opportunity is to provide state and local regulators, the produce industry, and extension educators with training and educational and outreach opportunities related to current produce safety best practices, guidance, and regulatory requirements by maintaining the “Produce Safety Alliance” (PSA).

Objective 1: Maintain a standardized, multi-format, multi-lingual training and education program to assist regulatory agencies and the produce industry (including growers and packers) with the implementation of FDA’s FSMA Produce Safety Rule and in understanding the public health and environmental benefits of co-management and to integrate food safety and environment co-management principles in implementing FDA’s Produce Safety Rule. Update the standardized curriculum to incorporate other FSMA rules and guidances that impact the fresh produce industry.

Objective 2: Maintain a Train-the-Trainer curriculum to ensure that a national and international group of qualified instructors is available to deliver the program. Maintain a Lead Training application and review process, and a Trainer-of-Trainer process, in both English and Spanish.

Objective 3: Providing education, outreach, and technical assistance to fresh produce growers and packers, including grower cooperatives, to increase their understanding of the critical role they play in public health via implementation of on-farm and packing house GAPs, on-farm environmental coordinated management (co-management), and other preventive controls.

Objective 4: Conduct an ongoing formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the training. Conduct research through this evaluation including data collection and analysis to assess the training impact, trainer effectiveness, and need for course modifications to improve participant understanding of the Produce Safety Rule and Good Agricultural Practices, and enhance training based on evaluation findings. Continue to assess the adequacy of existing education and outreach tools, identify gaps, and fill and update as necessary.

Objective 5: Engage with FDA and partners to advance efforts related to international audiences, including Trainer-of-Trainers trainings and the Lead Trainer application/review process.

Objective 6: Being a repository for and providing easy access to stakeholders of up-to-date scientific and technical information related to FDA’s Produce Safety Rule, on-farm produce safety, and on-farm food safety and environment co-management.