Resources

Water

• FSMA Produce Safety Rule: Agricultural Water System Inspection is Different from the Proposed Agricultural Water Assessment (new May 2023)
• The Water Analysis Method Requirement in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (Updated April 2019 to reflect recent FDA announcements, URLs update 10/13/22)
• FSMA Produce Safety Rule Water Requirements: Insights to Get You Organized! (URLs updated 10/13/22)
• Agricultural Water Tools and Calculators
• Water Summit Summary
  Wall, G. L., Clements, D. P., Fisk, C. L., Stoeckel, D. M., Woods, K. L. and Bihn, E. A. (2019), Meeting Report: Key Outcomes from a Collaborative Summit on Agricultural Water Standards for Fresh Produce. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12434

Soil Amendments

• FSMA Produce Safety Rule: Documentation Requirements for Commercial Soil Amendment Suppliers (URLs updated 10/13/22)
  • Model Certificate of Conformance Word format
• Produce Safety Factors to Consider when Using  Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin (BSAAO) (URLs updated 10/13/22)

Land Use Issues

• Food Safety for Flooded Farms

Sanitation

COVID-19 update: Although COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, and unlikely to be transmitted through food and food packaging, growers rely on resources available to them (including the PSA Sanitizer tool) to answer their questions. This update addresses the original intent of the PSA Sanitizer tool and includes a link to an EPA list and factsheet that may be more useful in managing risks specific to COVID-19. The PSA Sanitizer tool and the EPA N list were created for different reasons and they project different information. When in doubt, in reference to COVID-19, please use the EPA N list.

The PSA Sanitizer tool was created as one way for farmers and educators to search for a sanitizer that might meet their needs.  The functions in the tool allow sorting to answer some basic questions (i.e., OMRI listed, labeled uses) but the user must decide for themselves whether the products are appropriate and effective based in part on the EPA label (linked in the tool) and the manufacturer’s technical specification sheets.

The EPA N list was created specifically to help the public find products that can be used to disinfect or sanitize surfaces that are contaminated with the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.  The EPA has stated that each of those products is appropriate for that purpose. Straightforward information on the development of the EPA N list, and how it can be used to cross-reference products, can be found in the N list FAQs document.

• Introduction to Selecting an EPA-Labeled Sanitizer (URLs updated 10/13/22)
• Labeled Sanitizers for Produce - Excel Tool Version 5 updated 3/2/23
  • Video Tutorial: How to Use the Excel Tool Labeled Sanitizers for Produce
• United Fresh—Guidance on Environmental Monitoring and Control of Listeria for the Fresh Produce Industry
• Cleaning vs. Sanitizing (URLs updated 10/13/22)

Recordkeeping

• Records Required by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule 
  • Template Records in Word format 

Exemptions and Exclusions 

• Produce Safety Rule Exemptions and Resources for Small Farms - Webinar November 2, 2017

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) 
• Foodborne Illness & Contaminants
• Recalls, Outbreaks, & Emergencies
• Food Defense
• FDA Food Guidance Documents

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Audit Programs
• Food Safety
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
  • Support for Produce Farmers

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR)

• OFRR website
• Introduction to OFRR video