collage of produce items
May 18, 2021

Produce Safety Alliance Listserv Members,

Happy National Asparagus, Salad, Salsa, and Strawberry Month! Produce brings so much color and flavor to our lives. We’re happy to work with you all to keep that produce safe. 

This month’s newsletter contains information on our newest Regional Extension Associate, highlights our newest PSA Trainers, and shares a success story from the Minnesota training team.  

Take care and be well, 
The PSA Team
New Midwest Regional Extension Associate
Laurie George
Laurie George joined the PSA Monday May 17 as the Midwest Regional Extension Associate. Laurie received her Master of Science degree and Ph.D. in Plant, Soils, and Agricultural Sciences from Southern Illinois University. She worked in extension for 10 years prior to joining the PSA team and lives in southern Illinois. Laurie is a PSA Trainer-of-Trainers and has been teaching the online GAPs course through eCornell. Visit Laurie’s contact page for more details about her and her new role on the team.
Still Accepting Applications for the Spanish Language Extension Associate Position
We’ve started reviewing application for the Spanish Language Extension Associate position, but we’re still accepting applications. If you’re interested, please apply ASAP. If you know someone who would be great in this role, please encourage them to apply. Details available at AcademicJobsOnline.
Extension of Remote PSA Training Policies
The PSA is extending its temporary remote delivery policy for the PSA Grower Training and PSA Train-the-Trainer Courses to March 30, 2022 due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. This extension is being done due to continued focus on reducing COVID transmission globally while ensuring growers have access to quality training to meet regulatory expectations in order to stay viable in the market place. Read more about these remote delivery options on our website: PSA Grower Training Temporary Remote Delivery PolicyPSA Train-the-Trainer Temporary Remote Delivery Policy
IAFP Elmer Marth Educator Award
Betsy Bihn
PSA Director Betsy Bihn has been chosen as the 2021 recipient of the Elmer Marth Educator Award from the International Association for Food Protection. This well-deserved award is presented to an individual for outstanding service to the public, IAFP, and the arena of education in food safety and food protection. Congratulations Betsy!
April PSA Train-the-Trainer Courses
In April, we held the second Spanish Remote PSA Train-the-Trainer Course with participants from AZ, CA, WA, MI, NM, PR and Mexico. We also held another English Remote PSA Train-the-Trainer Course with participants from AK, AZ, CA, FL, HI, IL, IN, MO, OK, PA, TN, and VA. Congratulations to all the new PSA Trainers! 
group photo in Zoom
group photo in Zoom
Draft Alternate Language Policy
The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA), University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Produce Safety Program, and the Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) recently collaborated to offer the nation’s first pilot Hmong-language PSA Grower Training. Details in this NCR FSMA success story

As you know, the PSA Grower Training Course must be delivered using approved PSA slide sets (currently only available in English, Spanish, and Chinese), according to the language of the participants and presenter(s). The policy also requires that a printed PSA Manual must be provided to participants for use as a reference during the course and after the conclusion of the course (again, currently only available in English, Spanish, and Chinese). The PSA has identified situations under which the current same-language policy and available PSA slides and manuals will not meet the needs of all potential course participants, so an alternate language policy has been developed with several options: 
  • Option 1: One or more bilingual participants prefer an Approved PSA Manual in an Alternate Language (e.g., a Spanish speaking participant may understand spoken and written English, but prefers to read and take notes in a Spanish manual) 
  • Option 2: All participants prefer an Alternate Language for delivery and discussion but can read one of the Approved PSA Manual translations (e.g., a group of Plain growers may prefer a course delivered in Pennsylvania Dutch, but they can read the English slides and manuals) 
  • Option 3: One or more participants is unable to read any written language of the Approved PSA Manual (e.g., a group of Hmong growers do not read or speak English, Spanish, or Chinese so some amount of translation is necessary, as piloted in the recent Minnesota Grower Training above) 
  • The PSA is currently evaluating courses delivered using the alternate language policy and will announce final policy updates through the PSA Trainer listserv. Contact Gretchen Wall or Donna Clements if you’re interested in learning details of the Alternate Language Policy for a future course offering.
Reminder:
AFDO Certificates of PSA Training Do Not Expire
After attending the PSA Grower Training, participants are eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) and the PSA that verifies they have completed the course. We’ve been receiving emails from course participants wondering when their certificate expires and when they’re required to retake the course. While continued professional development on produce safety topics is encouraged, there is no requirement to attend the PSA Grower Training more than once and the PSA-AFDO Certificate of Course Completion does not expire. We do welcome people to attend twice if they want to refresh their training or feel it would benefit their farm operation, but this is not required. If you’ve misplaced your certificate and would like to order a replacement, instructions can be found on the AFDO website.
FDA Clarifies FSMA Produce Safety Rule Annual Training Expectations for Supervisors and Responsible Parties
The excerpt below is provided by the FDA Division of Produce Safety: 
“Recently we received several questions regarding FDA’s expectations for supervisors and responsible parties who completed training at least equivalent to the standardized curriculum and annual training requirements. I’m sharing the following language to clarify some of these questions. The following is available here at our Frequently Asked Questions on FSMA for the Produce Safety Rule page:  
  • Which personnel must be trained? TAN FAQ PSR.7  
  • All personnel (including temporary, part time, seasonal, and contracted personnel) who handle covered produce or food contact surfaces, or who are engaged in the supervision thereof, must receive adequate training, as appropriate to the person’s duties, upon hiring, and periodically thereafter, at least once annually. See 21 CFR 112.21(a). 
  • How frequently do these personnel need to be trained? TAN FAQ PSR.8 
  • Upon hiring, and periodically thereafter, at least once annually. Training must be repeated as necessary and appropriate in light of observations or information indicating that personnel are not meeting standards established by FDA in the Produce Safety Rule Subparts C through O (See 21 CFR 112.21). 
  • What training records are required by the Produce Safety Rule? TAN FAQ PSR.9 
  • You must establish and keep records of training that document required training of personnel, including the date of training, topics covered, and the person(s) trained (See 21 CFR 112.30(b)). 
 
I also want to mention that under § 112.22(c) at least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA. Accordingly, successful completion of training at least equivalent to the standardized curriculum by your farm personnel (at a minimum, by one supervisor or responsible party for your farm) is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of § 112.22(c). Please refer to the TAN FAQ PSR 7 response above for more information on training requirements for supervisors who are engaged in the supervision of handling covered produce or food contact surfaces associated with 21 CFR 112.21(a). 

I’d also like to share some of our current thinking on annual, refresher training based on our draft Compliance and Implementation Guidance for Industry (available here) in Chapter 2: Personnel Qualifications and Training, pages 26-38: 
You have the flexibility to determine the appropriate timing and frequency for periodic refresher training, as long as it occurs at least once per year as required by 21 CFR 112.21. You should provide personnel with the most up-to-date information, to the extent practical, from credible sources. Academia, extension services, industry associations, and government agencies can be useful sources of information.  

We are currently working on responses to comments for the draft Compliance and Implementation Guidance, and we are also considering an update to our FDA Factsheet: Required Training for Covered Farms. Both of these efforts may address this topic in more detail.” 
Comment Period for Supply Chains for the Production of Agricultural Commodities and Food Products 
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is providing an additional 30 days for public comments on the Notice on Supply Chains for the Production of Agricultural Commodities and Food Products published on April 21, 2021. “The comments received will help USDA assess the critical factors, risks, and strategies needed to support resilient, diverse, and secure supply chains and ensure U.S. economic prosperity, national security, and nutrition security for all Americans. Such supply chains are needed to address conditions that can reduce critical processing and infrastructure capacity and the availability and integrity of critical goods, products, and services. Identifying food system supply chain-bottlenecks and vulnerabilities also may provide valuable insights into the competitive and fair markets landscape, effects on local and regional producers and processors, and equitable access to food and economic opportunity across diverse communities.” Visit the Federal Register to submit a formal comment.