For these and other Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcements and guidance for food producers, please visit the FDA’s webpage on Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Excerpts of FDA guidance relevant for food producers, facilities, and retail establishments are below:
Currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19.
CCOF is excited to continue offering food safety certification by and for organic producers in the 2020 production season. Not only do we cover your organic crops and handling, but we can also audit your non-organic acreage alongside your organic or transitioning acreage while we’re out there. If given enough lead time, CCOF can even combine your organic and your food safety audits in one visit!
As the shortened days and long nights of winter begin to lighten, organic producers are spending time with family, poring over seed catalogs, considering cropping plans, and maybe even scouting for new ground. While not at the top of the list of things to do, some producers are using the slow winter months to prepare for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements, including obtaining mandatory trainings for key staff, understanding compliance dates, and potentially preparing for buyer-required third party food safety audits.
What: Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Training to help your farm business comply with FSMA legislation, and a second on-farm training covering food safety best practices, business and marketing, and crisis planning at your operation as a follow-up session for interested farmers.
When: Friday, January 24, 2020, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Allan Hancock College, Room G106A/B
Cost: Free for small producers of leafy greens
To sign up or get more information, contact:
The National Young Farmers Coalition released a produce safety video entitled “Not Going Viral!” on its YouTube channel earlier this year.
Developing and implementing food safety plans (required under the Food Safety Modernization Act) can be challenging. Knowledge related to the overall food quality assurance system can enhance the development and implementation of food safety plans by food processors. The goal of this webinar series is to connect concepts and components of food quality assurance programs to food safety. The webinars will be hosted live by Dr. Linda J. Harris, Dr. Erin DiCaprio, and Dr. Luxin Wang from the department of food science and technology at the University of California, Davis.
The organic community on the Central Coast of California and beyond are gearing up for a fruitful exchange of ideas, contacts, and networking at this year’s Organic Grower’s Summit (OGS), hosted by CCOF and the Organic Produce Network, in Monterey, California on December 4-5, 2019. This year is lining up to be a great one with an action-packed line up of speakers, dinners, and extensive exhibition trade show floor. If you haven’t registered, now is the time to reserve your spot!
The Produce Safety Alliance recently added new videos to its YouTube channel.
Under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, growers using a treated Biological Soil Amendment of Animal Origin (BSAAO), such as compost, are required to keep documentation that the amendment was properly treated, handled, and stored before being applied to a produce field. This documentation is especially important as growers prepare for FSMA Produce Safety Rule compliance and inspections. Though FDA does not have jurisdiction over companies that supply treated BSAAOs, suppliers should be prepared to provide this documentation to growers as needed.
Although local food producers are broadly committed to food safety on their operations, there are still some barriers to implementing food safety best practices, according to a needs assessment report released today by National Farmers Union Foundation’s Local Food Safety Collaborative (LFSC) and Cornell University.