Non Technical Summary
The United States Department of Agriculture has expressed the need for more Good Agricultural Practice (GAP)-certified farmers that are Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliant to increase the availability of fresh produce, thereby improving the health status of the general population. It has become increasingly apparent that education and outreach efforts have excluded or ineffectively targeted socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited-resource farmer populations as they are typically exempted from the FSMA regulations and often state regulations due to their size and limited annual sales. Further confounding this need is the lack of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)/Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) funding to fill extension roles with experienced professors.This project will meet both needs to provide much-needed training that will bolster food safety technical capacity, understanding of FSMA, and thus market access opportunities of these farming populations with the goal of increasing the number of GAP-trained and certified socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited-resource farmers. In doing so, local fresh produce will be made more accessible to retail and food service market channels. Increasing market opportunities for these farming populations will result in increased revenue that will support and grow smaller farming operations and ultimately grow the agribusiness sector in South Carolina, which is estimated at $51 billion in 2021. These farmers' availability of fresh producewill also mitigate food deserts and insecurity. Moreover, this approach could be deployed across the country, particularly by MSIs/HBCUs, for national agribusiness impact. Ultimately, this will increase the consumption of local fresh produce, which will increase the health profile of citizens in the state of South Carolina and potentially nationwide.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
711	2410	1100	40%
712	2410	1150	40%
604	2410	3030	20%

Knowledge Area
711 - Ensure Food Products Free of Harmful Chemicals, Including Residues from Agricultural and Other Sources; 712 - Protect Food from Contamination by Pathogenic Microorganisms, Parasites, and Naturally Occurring Toxins; 604 - Marketing and Distribution Practices;

Subject Of Investigation
2410 - Cross-commodity research--multiple crops;

Field Of Science
1100 - Bacteriology; 1150 - Toxicology; 3030 - Information and communication;

Goals / Objectives
The overarching goal of this project is to bolster the food safety and FSMA technical capacity of SC State ag extension agents and small, beginning,and socially disadvantaged farmers to increase the number of GAP-trained and certified producers in South Carolina. Therebyincreasing market access opportunities forsmall, beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers resulting in increased availability of fresh produce by these farmersmitigating food deserts and insecurity.Ultimately, this will increase the consumption of local fresh produce, increasing the health profile of citizens in South Carolina and potentially nationwide. The objectives are as follows:To effectively partner with the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association and other non-governmental organizations to develop and disseminate effective FSMA education and training curricula and materials for socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited-resource farmers.To increase the knowledge, competency, and confidence of 1890 extension agents through FSMA food safety training.To increase food safety and FSMA knowledge and awareness of socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited resource farmers.To positively impact the behaviors and beliefs of farmer participants regarding the feasibility of obtaining food safety certifications.To positively impact the behaviors and beliefs of farmer participants regarding the importance of food safety and its positive impact as a path to profitable market opportunities.To increase the number of GAP-certified socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited resource farmers in South Carolina.To increase the availability of local fresh produce through the implementation of food safety programs that open market access.

Project Methods
Methods/Approach:A combination of extension methods and approaches will be employed for this project.Goal 1 will be accomplished using educational institutionand land grant extension approaches where the project director and consultants will work with the undergraduate research assistants to develop tailored messaging andtraining materials for use in training farmers. The project director will conduct outreach to retail and food service market channels to delineatevendor food safety requirements to inform training content and spur relationships that will support participants upon completion of the program.?The project director will also engage organizations with relationships with the target participant audiences to inform marketing and recruitment of participants, messaging, and a better understanding of their participant's challenges and needs.?Goal 2 will utilize a group training approach and a participatory extension approach to deliver the FDA-recognized FSMA Grower Training to SC State 1890 ag extension staff to increase their knowledge and competency in food safety and FSMA. These methods will be used to provide in-depth training on the USDA GAP certification audit process and standardto 1890 Agricultural Extension Staff to increase their knowledge andcompetency in GAP audit standards and the USDA GAP certification audit process. Additionally, training will be provided by the project director and consultants to extension agents on foodsafety records and documentation to enable agents to support farmer participants and stakeholders at large.?Goals 3 - 7 will use the group training approach to deliver customized FSMA food safety and food service and retail market requirements to two farmer cohorts over the duration of the project (up to 25 farmers per cohort). The group extension and participatory extension methods will be used for 1890 extension agents to conduct mock GAPs audits to prepare farmers for third-party USDA GAPs certification audits by identifying opportunities for improvement and providing subsequent support to address any deficiencies. A cost-sharing approach will be used to provide coverage of auditing costs to participants pursuing GAPs certification. Additionally, 1890 extension agents will provide technical support to farmer participants during USDA GAP certification audits.Analysis & Evaluation of Results:Changes in knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about food safety, regulatory, and market requirements will be assessed through pre- and post-assessments of participants. Post-assessments will be conducted during a stakeholder summit at the end of each cohort's cycle. Additionally, SCSU 1890 agricultural extension agents will track progress in monthly reports based on participant interactions and field visits.Efforts:Develop a produce safety/GAPs curriculum specifically for small, socially disadvantaged, underrepresented farmers to augment the Produce Safety Alliance trainingDeliver FDA-recognized training courses to extension agentsDeliver small farmer curriculum to up to 50 farmersConduct mock GAPs certification audits and provide technical support to address gapsProvide technical support to small farmers during USDA GAPs certification auditsStipend cost-sharing support to sponsor the cost of GAP auditsEvaluation of Outputs & Outcomes:Expected changes as a result of this project are as follows:Outcome 1: Increasing Consumption and Consumer Purchasing of Specialty CropsOutcome 2: Increasing Access to Specialty Crops and Expanding Specialty Crop Production and DistributionOutcome 3: Increase Food Safety and FSMA Knowledge and ProcessesTo evaluate the success or effectiveness of the project, we will track the indicators outlined below for each of the outcomes. Progress for each indicator will be tracked using survey assessments, focus groups, and information reported to and/or observed by agricultural extension agents during farm visits. Extension agents provide monthly accomplishment reports on their work with farmers, which will be leveraged to assess progress as well. We will also contrast results between the two cohorts of socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited resource farmers. Feedback on the training curriculum and delivery will be obtained from survey assessments. Overall, we consider the project successful if we are able to engage between ten to twenty farmers per cohort for a total of twenty to forty farmers. Positive changes in knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs, along with receptiveness and comprehension of the curriculum and supporting materials, will also indicate a successful or effective project. Specifically, we will track the following indicators:Outcome 1 Increasing Consumption and Consumer Purchasing of Fresh Produce:Number of stakeholders selling fresh produce to consumers, food service, and retail before and after the project.Number of stakeholders selling fresh produce at 1890 Research and Extension farmers' markets.Number of additional business transactions executed.Outcome 2 Increasing Access to Fresh Produce and Expanding Market Access:Number of stakeholders who gained knowledge about the market requirements for food service and retail establishments.Number of stakeholders that identified additional market opportunities.Number of stakeholders that gained technical knowledge about producing, preparing, procuring, and/or accessing specialty crops.Outcome 3 Increase Food Safety Knowledge and Processes:Number of stakeholders who gained knowledge including FSMA, food safety, and third-party audits and certifications.Number of stakeholders that established a food safety plan.Number of stakeholders that updated their food safety plan.Number of stakeholders that used grant funds to pursue GAP certification or other food safety credentials or tools to successfully obtain a new market opportunity.