Produce Safety and the Food Safety Modernization Act – When it comes to the safe production and handling of fruits and vegetables, all Indiana growers are intertwined. Big or small, each of our farms has a shared responsibility to protect the public from foodborne illness. Making produce as safe as possible starts with following the new rules in the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which includes requirements for water testing, manure application, record keeping, worker hygiene and more. The FDA’s exemption flowchart illustrates which farms are covered by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. No matter the size of your farm, you can successfully meet these rules because Safe Produce Indiana is here to help.

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Who is Safe Produce Indiana? – Safe Produce Indiana is a partnership between the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), and Purdue University Extension. The FDA grant-funded program aims to educate Indiana produce growers about farm food safety best practices and prepare growers to meet the regulatory requirements of the FSMA Safety Rule. Safe Produce IN provides access to many free resources including On-Farm Readiness Reviews, produce safety workshops, technical assistance from Purdue Extension food safety experts, documentation templates, water testing resources, and regulation updates. Safe Produce Indiana also offers Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings that meet the training requirements of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.

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Useful Links – Visit the Safe Produce Indiana website at SafeProduceIN.com to learn more about the food safety resources available to produce growers. Safe Produce IN also shares food safety updates and helpful tips on their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages. Check them out!

If you have questions about Safe Produce IN or the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, contact Tari Gary at the Indiana State Department of Agriculture by calling 317-407-9802 or email tgary@isda.in.gov.