Is your produce farm subject to a Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) inspection, but you aren’t quite sure what to expect? Do you have questions about FSMA compliance, but don’t know who to ask? Join the CCOF Foundation, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and Community Alliance with Family Farmers and the Farmers Guild (CAFF/FG) on September 24 for a webinar that reviews how the FSMA Produce Safety Rule inspection process works in California, as well as shares FSMA resources for organic produce growers.
CDFA has started its FSMA inspections of produce farms. Produce farms with more than $500,000 in average annual sales may be contacted by CDFA in 2019 for an inspection to verify the farm’s compliance with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. In 2020, CDFA will begin its FSMA Produce Safety Rule inspections of farms with average annual food sales between $250,000 and $500,000. Now’s the time to start preparing your produce farm for a FSMA inspection. Join us for this webinar to find out how.
First, get an overview of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule from Kali Feiereisel, CAFF/FG’s senior manager for farm services. Then, learn about resources organic produce growers can utilize to get their FSMA questions answered.
Participants will also hear from Shelley Phillips, the program supervisor for CDFA’s Produce Safety Program (PSP), in the second half of the webinar. Learn how the CDFA PSP inspection team conducts FSMA Produce Safety Rule inspections in California, as well as what growers can expect during a FSMA inspection. Phillips will also highlight CDFA’s On-Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRR). These “practice inspections” are designed to give growers a better understanding of what they can expect from a routine FSMA Produce Safety Rule inspection. Learn what’s involved in an OFRR, as well as how to prepare to host an OFRR on your farm.
To learn more and to register visit the CCOF website.
This webinar is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number USDA-NIFA-FSMA-2018-70020-28869.