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Demystifying Agricultural Production Water Testing under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule

ID

FST-350NP

Authors as Published

Laura K. Strawn, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Food Science & Technology, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center; Amber D. Vallotton, Extension Specialist, School of Plant & Environmental Sciences; Renee Boyer, Professor and Extension Specialist, Food Science & Technology; and Cameron Bardsley, Graduate Student, Food Science & Technology, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center

This publication is available in an enhanced digital version and PDF.

Under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR), agricultural water is defined as “water used in covered activities on covered produce where water is intended to, or is likely to, contact the harvestable portion of the crop”. Production water is agricultural water used during produce growing activities prior to harvesting. Examples of production water include irrigation, fertigation, spray applications, dust abatement, frost protection, among others. Remember production water has to meet the definition of agricultural water to be regulated under the FSMA PSR. This document will cover why to test your production water, what to test your production water for, how to sample your production water, and most importantly how to interpret your production water test results.


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Publication Date

September 10, 2019