August 11, 2022

In this Issue:

• Upcoming Produce Safety Training
• Share Grounds Update
• Water Resources for Every Level of Grower

Join us for our last Produce Safety Training of the year!

We're excited to offer another remote training on October 11th and 12th, from 8 am to 12:30 pm each day.

Who should attend:

Anyone who grows, harvests, packs and handles fresh fruits and vegetables.

Why you should attend:

On-farm food safety practices are vital in the produce industry. Many farms are now required to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. This training will educate growers on the Produce Safety Rule.

What you receive:

Upon completion of this training, participants receive a certificate satisfying the requirement 112.22(c) in the Produce Safety Rule.

Share Grounds Update

The successful Blackberry Beer tasting held at Stone's Throw Brewery on July 20th was not the end of the line for these specialty brews. After the turnout and feedback from the tasting, Stone's Throw decided to serve both varieties of beer at their block party on July 30th.

At the block party, each participant was treated to the story of why Share Grounds got involved with blackberries. They then received a comment card and a sample of beer made from blackberry juice and a sample made from whole berries. All the blackberries used in the production of the beer is a result of the UA System’s blackberry breeding program Located in Clarksville. Ritter Farms in Judsonia Arkansas grew, harvested, and provided all the blackberries used in the beer making. 

After tasting, everyone rated the samples as to which they preferred. It was determined that, by a slim margin, the beer made with blackberry juice was preferred. We would like to thank all our partners in this project for helping make it a success! Without the help of Arkansas Brewers Guild, Ritter Farms, and Stone’s Throw Brewing this project through the Share Grounds would not have been possible.

Water Resources for Every Level of Grower

Stay in the know! Get Agriculture Water Updates from the FDA

The FDA is proposing a revision to Subpart E of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule that would change the pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce (other than sprouts).

Test your water with Arkansas Water Resource Center

AWRC, located at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, is part of a network of 54 water institutes. AWRC, in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Institute for Water Resources (NIWR), has helped local, state and federal agencies learn to manage Arkansas’ water resources for more than 30 years.

Useful Links

• Free soil testing is offered in every county in Arkansas!
• Financial Assistance through USDA's Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC)