March 24, 2023
Dear PSA newsletter subscribers,
Happy Spring! These last few weeks have given us unprecedented weather patterns, with many parts of the country receiving snowfall, rain, and flooding. We hope this newsletter finds you well, navigating whatever weather you have, and gearing up for a new growing season.
This newsletter has important updates on the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, lots of PSA updates, and registration links to an upcoming conference and webinar.
Happy reading!
Sincerely,
The PSA Team
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Welcome Yulie Meneses to the PSA! |
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Please join us in welcoming PSA’s newest team member, Yulie Meneses! Yulie joined the PSA team on March 16, 2023 as a Spanish-Language Extension Associate (SLEA). As a SLEA, she supports growers, educators, and regulatory officials to ensure produce safety outreach is available to Spanish-speaking stakeholders, domestically and internationally. Yulie has experience in industry and academia; she worked as a research assistant professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she conducted research on water reuse for the food sector. These projects integrated water treatment technologies, food safety microbiology, and the quantification of environmental impacts. Yulie's work has been presented at national and international conferences and published in reputable scientific journals. Yulie holds a Ph.D. and a Master's degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a B.Sc. in Agro-Industrial Engineering from Zamorano University. She lives in Florida.
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Subpart E – Harvest and Postharvest Agricultural Water |
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Enforcement discretion for harvest and postharvest agricultural water was removed for large farms (“all other businesses”) on January 26, 2023. FDA and many states are doing educational visits for the first year, unless there is a for-cause inspection or an egregious condition is observed during a routine inspection. Trainers are encouraged to review the list of harvest/postharvest agricultural water provisions and Module 5.2 in the PSA Grower Training Curriculum. PSA recommends including slide 11 from the Supplemental Slides for Proposed Subpart E at the introduction of Module 5.2 as a reminder of compliance dates. Special note to PSA Trainers and Lead Trainers: new Supplemental Slides from 11/2022 are available, so be sure to update your delivery version of Module 5.1 and 5.2.
Are you interested in additional materials on harvest/postharvest agricultural water? FDA developed a factsheet (also available in Spanish) summarizing the requirements in a question-and-answer format. Additionally, PSA has hosted two Educators’ Calls on the topic of harvest/postharvest water. Recordings can be found on the webpage. One more webinar on the topic of harvest/postharvest water is being planned, and the registration will be posted on the Educators’ Group webpage.
Stay tuned for new Subpart E educational resources, including updated recordkeeping templates, to support growers and trainers!
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FDA Set to End the Temporary Enforcement Discretion Policy Regarding the Qualified Exemption on November 7, 2023 |
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PSA Advanced Trainer Workshop |
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The PSA and the Southern Center for FSMA Training hosted a PSA Advanced Trainer Workshop in sunny Lake Alfred, Florida on February 7-9, 2023. The workshop was attended by 21 participants from around the country (and Puerto Rico!), and included hands-on activities focusing on microbiology 101, soil amendments, production water, postharvest water, sanitation, and tips for instructor engagement. Thank you to everyone who attended the PSA Advanced Trainer Workshop and to the University of Florida for hosting to make this training a success! Stay tuned for future course offerings. |
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PSA-led Grower Training Courses in Mexico:
A Recap!
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Our Spanish-language Extension Associates have had a busy winter conducting PSA Grower Training Courses in Mexico. So far, members of the team (Davis Blasini, Mariana Villarreal Silva, and Laura Pineda-Bermudez) have traveled to Sonora, Nayarit, Jalisco, and Chihuahua to conduct five PSA Grower Training Courses to melon, mango, and onion growers. By summer 2023, we will have conducted 14 PSA Grower Training Courses and 1 PSA Train-the-Trainer Course to the berry, melon, papaya, onion, and mango industries, through a combination of in-person and remote trainings. |
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Educational Opportunities |
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Upcoming PSA Train-the-Trainer Courses
Remote delivery course| May 22-25, 2023
Remote delivery course | August 14-17, 2023
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SAFER Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Conference – Registration Open |
Join in on April 13 and 14, 2023 for the SAFER Controlled Environment Agriculture conference. The Strategizing to Advance Future Extension and Research (SAFER) CEA conference aims to advance the science, knowledge and practice of food safety in the CEA produce industry. CEA industry stakeholders, regulatory partners and food safety research and extension professionals are invited to learn about past and ongoing CEA food safety projects and discuss research and extension priorities for the CEA produce industry. We want the SAFER CEA conference to enhance and encourage future collaborations between academia, industry and regulatory agencies. Check out the conference website. |
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CONTACT Webinar Series: Harvest Sanitation: It’s More than Hopes and Dreams |
This CONTACT webinar is led by two amazing professionals at the top of their fields: Natalie Dyenson (Vice President, Food Safety & Quality at Dole) and Justin Kerr (Owner and Manager at Factor IV Solutions). Natalie and Justin will dig into harvest sanitation, a timely topic for the produce industry. Topics will include Natalie sharing the Dole experience from the recent outbreak which was linked to a piece of harvest equipment (investigation, findings, lessons learned); discussion of the produce industry’s evolution with harvest equipment sanitation and hygienic design, and where we stand today; and Justin will focus on real observations from the field and how sanitation programs can be built to include monitoring, verification and validation activities. This one is sure to be a special treat. Be sure to stick around for the live only Q&A where Natalie and Justin will stay to listen and answer audience questions! As a reminder: Each webinar will consist of a one-hour presentation followed by 30 min of interactive Q&A.
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