Food Safety for Produce Growers | Horticulture, Landscape, and Environmental Systems

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, approximately 24,587 acres in Nebraska are devoted to commercial production of vegetables, fruits and berries generating $148,865,000 in sales for crops such as tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, sweet corn, tree fruits, small fruits, nuts and more. Many producers are small growers selling directly to local clientele through farmers markets or roadside stands.

Americans are eating more fresh produce than ever, thanks to nutrition education, with a more than 20-pound-per-person increase over average consumption 20 years ago.

Two programs offered by Nebraska Extension to aid fruit and vegetable growers at increasing their on-farm food safety practices include Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training and Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) training.

The goal of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), signed into law in November 2011, is to strengthen the United States food safety system by preventing foodborne outbreaks before they occur. The Produce Safety Rule, one of seven major rules under FSMA, requires fruit and vegetable growers to meet science-based minimum standards for safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption.

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Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training

PSA Grower Training is one way growers can satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party per farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’

Growers must be compliant with FSMA if their farm meets the following requirements.

Grows, harvests, packs or holds produce.
Farm has more than $25,000 in produce sales on average in the last three years
Farm grows crops not identified as rarely consumed raw.
Produce is not for personal or on-farm consumption
Produce is not intended for commercial processing.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)

It's important growers, even those with sales below $25,000 (on average for the last three years), understand how their production and produce handling practices can prevent food borne illness associated with fresh produce. Contamination of produce may occur at any stage of production— during field or greenhouse production, harvest, packing, holding, delivery and at the market.

Wholesale buyers or farmer's market managers may require growers to complete annual third-party GAPs certification or complete a farm food safety plan before they are allowed to become a vendor. GAPs training provides a solid base of knowledge for growers to: