Understanding FSMA for Small Farms

Have you heard about the new set of Federal food safety regulations? And that small farms might be exempt from this law?

Come get the facts during this online workshop. NC State Extension area specialized agent Dr. Chip Simmons, will cover the facts about the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)’s Produce Safety Rule (PSR) and you will learn which practices in the rule are relevant to small farms and how your farm may be impacted.

As part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the FDA developed “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption”, commonly referred to as the Produce Safety Rule (PSR). The goal for this rule is to minimize the risks for consumers of eating raw fruit and vegetables that could be contaminated with microbial contaminants that cause food borne illness. The PSR targets produce (fruits and vegetables) that are usually eaten raw. The intent of this workshop is to help you understand where your farm falls under this regulation and learn about food safety practices that are relevant to small, diversified farms in NC. Farm inspections started in the Spring of 2019 and even though most small and medium scale farms may not be covered or may be “qualified exempt” from some of the stipulations of the Rule, all produce growers have the responsibility to grow, pack, and hold produce following safe practices.