FDA Standards for the Growing Harvesting Packing and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption

When farms exhibit a relatively high degree of chemical, fecal and E. coli contamination, this is an indication of farm level mismanagement of chemical and water resources. Analyses for chemical and sampling of produce and water are currently considered too expensive ($365/sample) for practical application at small farms. Water sampling for biological contaminants ($51/comprehensive test) should be required and should be initiated at the field level rather than at the source due to probable biofilm bacterial buildup in irrigation pipes.

All fields should be tested for water contamination due to the high coliform and fecal coliform levels found in this limited study. Water sampling for biological contaminants should be conducted in a manner that provides the farm with measurement and management information.

Learning Objectives:-

• Agricultural Water
  • Testing
• Biological Soil Amendments
  • Raw Manure
• Stabilized Compost
  • Domesticated and Wild Animals Equipment, Tools and Buildings Worker Training and Health and Hygiene.

Areas Covered in the Session:-

• The produce safety rules
• Normal produce farm problems
• How to collect the basic data and begin to improve produce food safety controls
• How to establish good sampling procedures
• How to document all improvements
• What are some costs involved

Background:- FDA Rules Cover-

• A produce raw agricultural commodity (RAC) that is grown domestically and a produce RAC that will be imported or offered for import in any State or territory of the United States
• Fruits and vegetables (includes mushrooms, sprouts, nuts, herbs
• Mixes of intact fruits and vegetables
• Some Exemptions Apply (e.g., grains, not consumed raw, kill steps, less than $500K sold in last 3 years, etc.)

Why Should You Attend?

• Personnel Qualifications and Training
• Health and Hygiene
• Agricultural Water
• Biological Soil Amendments
• Domesticated and wild animals
• Equipment, tools, and building
• Sprouts.

Who Will Benefit?

• All produce farm workers, farm owners
• Produce handlers in distribution, packing and processing
• Distributor, retail, processor buyers
• Military commissary produce specialists
• Future Farmers of America.