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Resources for On-Farm Food Safety

Title Available As Summary Date ID Author
Balancing Life: Food Safety at Home, Stores, Restaurants, and Gardens Aug 14, 2020 ALCE-218NP
Taste of Farming: Vegetable Production and Food Safety Requirements Apr 1, 2022 ALCE-296-5
Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Worker Health, Hygiene and Training Sep 23, 2022 FST-278NP
Introduction to Environmental Monitoring Programs
Environmental monitoring programs (EMPs) are a proactive approach that operations may take to reduce microbial contamination events. EMPs are designed to assess the effectiveness of the hygiene and sanitation practices in a food environment and provide valuable information to avoid microbial contamination of food products. EMPs are specific to each operation and depend upon the food(s) that are handled, packed, and or processed; operation size; operation layout; among other factors. If EMPs are effective, operations will be alerted to possible pathogen harborage locations based on positive test results, and operations will be able to implement corrective actions to reduce contamination events. Corrective actions may include targeted cleaning and sanitation of locations/adjacent locations that test positive and implementation of new policies or practices to reduce cross-contamination (for example, new employee or equipment traffic patterns). This publication serves as an introductory guide.
Nov 2, 2023 FST-290NP
Visión General de la Ley de Modernización de la Inocuidad de los Alimentos; Norma de la Inocuidad de los Productos Agrícolas Frescos (Overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule) Oct 26, 2023 FST-291NP
Ley de Modernización de la Inocuidad de los Alimentos Norma de Inocuidad de los Productos Agrícolas Frescos: Salud Higiene y Capacitación de los Trabajadores (Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Worker Health, Hygiene and Training) May 30, 2018 FST-293S
Does my Farm have to Comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule? A Tool to Assist Producers May 30, 2018 FST-294NP
A Guide to the Aquaponics Food Safety Plan Development: Green Aquaponics LLC as a Model Feb 21, 2019 FST-302P
Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Soil Amendments Jul 17, 2019 FST-316P
Packinghouse Best Practices To Support the FSMA Produce Safety Rule Jul 19, 2019 FST-317P
Susceptibility of Produce to Infiltration: Risk Factors and Mitigations May 30, 2019 FST-320NP
Sprout Safety
The condition in which sprouts are produced is ideal for the growth of the foodborne pathogens, and if proper food safety practices and handling are not followed, sprouts can harbor pathogens when the seeds are sprouted. Many outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with consumption of raw sprouts have been reported in recent years, mainly by E. coli and Salmonella.
Aug 6, 2024 FST-344NP
Microbial Quality of Water Used in Potato Packinghouse Operations Oct 15, 2019 FST-348P
On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR): The Next Step in Preparing for FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule Sep 10, 2019 FST-349NP
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Farm Self-Help Form Aug 14, 2019 FST-35NP (FST-332NP)
Demystifying Agricultural Production Water Testing under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule
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.
Sep 9, 2024 FST-350NP
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: On the Farm Aug 14, 2019 FST-36NP (FST-333NP)
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Land Use Aug 13, 2019 FST-37NP (FST-334NP)
Guidelines for Packinghouse Workstations TO PREVENT SPREAD of COVID-19 Jun 5, 2020 FST-372NP
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Water Use Aug 19, 2019 FST-38NP (FST-335NP)
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Use of Manure and Other Soil Amendments of Animal Origin Aug 14, 2019 FST-39NP (FST-336NP)
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Farm Worker Hygiene, Health and Training Aug 13, 2019 FST-40NP (FST-337NP)
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Performing a Hazard Analysis Jan 20, 2022 FST-400NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: General Practices Jan 20, 2022 FST-401NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Pre-Plant Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-402NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Production Stage Jan 31, 2022 FST-403NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Harvest Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-404NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Post-Harvest Handling Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-405NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Preparing for GAP Certification Jan 20, 2022 FST-406NP
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Farm Worker Toilet and Handwashing Facilities Aug 13, 2019 FST-41NP (FST 338NP)
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Harvesting and Storage Aug 19, 2019 FST-42NP (FST-343NP)
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Transporting Produce Safely Aug 19, 2019 FST-43NP (FST-340NP)
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Training and Certification Options Aug 21, 2019 FST-44NP (FST-341NP)
Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Keeping Food Safe in the Market Jan 8, 2024 FST-47NP
Hazards and Risks: What is the Difference and How to Evaluate for Your Operation, a Beginners Guide Jul 12, 2022 FST-428NP
Food Safety in the Packinghouse May 15, 2023 FST-446NP
Liability Exemptions When Donating Food to Hunger Relief Organizations in Virginia May 4, 2023 FST-447NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Accessing Virginia Market Sectors - Module 1
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-460NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Performing A Hazard Analysis - Module 2
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-461NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: General Practices - Module 3
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-462NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Pre-Plant Stage - Module 4
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-463NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Production Stage - Module 5
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-464NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Harvest Stage - Module 6
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-465NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Post-Harvest Handling - Module 7
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-466NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: The GAP Audit Process - Module 8
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-467NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: GAP Manual Preparation - Module 9
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-468NP
FSMA Sanitary Transportation Rule: A Guide for Industry
The Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food Rule, often simply referred to as The Sanitary Transportation Rule, is enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the goal of protecting food during transport. This rule is one of the seven foundational rules of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Contamination can occur at any point in the food supply chain, and actions must be implemented to mitigate these risks at all stages, including transport. Because of this, the Sanitary Transportation Rule contains transportation requirements to avoid potential food safety risks that may occur.
FST-477NP
Sanitizers for Vegetables in Harvest and Post-Harvest Water for Small Farmers
Limited educational food safety publications are available for small vegetable farmers and extension personnel seeking information on the exemptions from FSMA regulations and the Produce Safety Rule, along with voluntary practices and food safety practices. Research was conducted to construct three educational publications focused on the Best Management Practices and Good Agricultural Practices, vegetable washing stations, handwashing stations, and sanitizing practices. These educational publications are for distribution within the Virginia Cooperative Extension System and for use by Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists, and growers who need to educate themselves or others on the basics of on-farm food safety needs and practices. This report serves (1) small and beginning vegetable farmers in the realm of food safety, (2) provide Virginia ANR Extension agents with publications to help them explain the intricacies of vegetable food safety on the farm, and (3) help with educating Virginia stakeholders to the intricacies of on-farm vegetable food safety practices.
Jul 1, 2024 FST-479NP
Wash Stations and Vegetable Cleaning for the Small Vegetable Farmers
Limited educational food safety publications are available for small vegetable farmers and extension personnel seeking information on the exemptions from FSMA regulations and the Produce Safety Rule, along with voluntary practices and food safety practices. Research was conducted to construct three educational publications focused on the Best Management Practices and Good Agricultural Practices, vegetable washing stations, handwashing stations, and sanitizing practices. These educational publications are for distribution within the Virginia Cooperative Extension System and for use by Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists, and growers who need to educate themselves or others on the basics of on-farm food safety needs and practices. This report serves (1) small and beginning vegetable farmers in the realm of food safety, (2) provide Virginia ANR Extension agents with publications to help them explain the intricacies of vegetable food safety on the farm, and (3) help with educating Virginia stakeholders to the intricacies of on-farm vegetable food safety practices.
Jul 2, 2024 FST-480NP
Best Management Practices and Good Agriculture Practices for Small Vegetable Farms
Aquaculture continues to be the fastest growing sector of food production world-wide. The Virginia aquaculture industry produces a variety of different foodfish, baitfish, shellfish, and ornamental species. Likewise, a variety of different production methods are implemented across the state, including pond production and indoor, intensive recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Continued expansion of aquaculture in the state, as well as across the region and country, demands attention to both environmental and economic sustainability.
Jul 3, 2024 FST-481NP
Virginia Cooperative Extension Healthy Meetings Initiative Nov 1, 2017 HNFE-478NP
GAPs and FSMA – an Overview for Hop Growers in Virginia
Food safety is a hot topic for hop growers and brewers. With multiple acronyms for various practices, standards, and regulations: GAPs, FSMA, PSR, PCR, and more; the confusion is understandable. Let’s examine where the small-acreage hop grower fits in. This fact sheet serves as an orientation to these standards,regulations, and practices as they may apply to hops; it is in no way a complete set of guidelines or substitute for training.
Dec 20, 2016 HORT-237NP
A Guide to the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification Process Jan 24, 2018 HORT-252NP (HORT-285NP)
Guide to Identifying Food Safety Hazards in Greenhouse Systems
According to the United States Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture, sales from greenhouse-grown food crops equaled around $800 million in the U.S. Crops grown included tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and berries, with hydroponic production operations making up about 64% of the total production (cwt) (USDA Census of Agriculture, 2012). Demand for greenhouse-grown produce continues to increase, providing growers with unique opportunities to tap into this expanding market. Although greenhouse systems provide a more protected environment than field-grown systems, it is important to understand the unique food safety risks and possible sources of contamination when growing produce in these systems. Identifying food safety hazards are necessary to implementing practices that reduce the risk of contamination during the pre-plant, production, harvest, and post-harvest handling stages. Use the checklist below to guide you in asking important questions targeting possible risks at each of the greenhouse system stages.
Jul 10, 2017 HORT-254NP
Accessing Virginia’s Regional Wholesale Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 24, 2023 HORT-271NP
Accessing Virginia’s Market Sectors: Fresh Produce Purchasing Considerations Apr 24, 2023 HORT-272NP
Accessing Virginia’s Retail Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 24, 2023 HORT-273NP
Accessing Virginia’s Restaurant Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 25, 2023 HORT-274NP
Accessing Virginia’s Public School (K-12) Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 25, 2023 HORT-275NP
Accessing Virginia’s Hospital Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 25, 2023 HORT-276NP
Accessing Virginia’s Direct-to-Consumer Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 26, 2023 HORT-277NP
Accessing Virginia’s College & University Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations Apr 26, 2023 HORT-278NP
Accessing Virginia Market Sectors: Establishing a Marketing Perspective Apr 26, 2023 HORT-279NP
Changes to USDA GAP & GHP, Produce Harmonized GAP, and Harmonized GAP Plus+ Audit Billing and Scheduling Jun 17, 2019 SPES-132NP (SPES-147NP)
Considerations for Producers Seeking Market Access to Schools Jun 11, 2019 SPES-145NP
Considerations for School Nutrition Directors Seeking to Increase Farm to School Purchases Jun 11, 2019 SPES-146NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 1 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-205NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 3 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-207NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19: Part 4 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-208NP
Fresh Hops Harvesting and Handling Tips Jun 29, 2018 SPES-43NP
Edamame in Virginia III. Handling and Processing from Harvest to Package Apr 14, 2023 SPES-456P
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Food Safety Considerations Jul 20, 2023 SPES-467NP