Non Technical Summary
Colorado's agricultural sector, vital to the state's economy, benefits from a long-standing history of fruit and vegetable farming and innovation in agriculture including controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and Agrivoltaics, addressing water scarcity, labor shortages, and food safety regulations. These technologies enhance sustainability and resilience amidst climate challenges threatening traditional farming. The Collaborative Education and Training program, launched in response, aims to equip growers with essential skills and knowledge. Building on a 2019 project's success, it focuses on workshops in produce safety, CEA industry assessments, extension materials development, and food safety in Agrivoltaics, emphasizing compliance with evolving standards. The initiative also includes a separate but instrumental Community Outreach project to support small and exempt growers and food banks, crucial to Colorado's agriculture. By continuing to foster our existing collaboration efforts with the industry and leveraging CEA and Agrivoltaics, it offers innovative solutions to current agricultural challenges, helping growers adapt to labor issues, and safety practices. Expected outcomes are PSA-training, GAP-workshops, Cold-Chain Management, and Post-Harvest Handling. The project aims to support the CO grower associations, translate materials into Spanish, conduct a comprehensive CEA survey, and produce educational materials for Agrivoltaics, including a peer-reviewed publication integrating production with food safety. The Colorado Fresh Produce Safety Collaborative 2.0 program seeks to enhance agricultural resilience and productivity, promoting a sustainable future. By supporting both traditional farming and innovative systems like CEA and Agrivoltaics, it highlights Colorado's dedication to advancing agriculture through education, collaboration, and resource development, the program empowers growers to navigate modern agriculture's challenges.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
712	1430	1100	100%

Knowledge Area
712 - Protect Food from Contamination by Pathogenic Microorganisms, Parasites, and Naturally Occurring Toxins;

Subject Of Investigation
1430 - Greens and leafy vegetables;

Field Of Science
1100 - Bacteriology;

Goals / Objectives
Support for the Fresh Produce Industry: Offering workshops and training opportunities to bolster growers' knowledge and implementation of best practices and food safety standards.CEA Industry Assessment: Conducting a survey to identify the specific needs and challenges of growers utilizing CEA, informing the development of targeted support materials.Extension Material Development: Creating a range of materials, from bulletins to videos, addressing the primary concerns of growers, with a focus on food safety and production optimization.Comprehensive Workshops: Hosting in-depth workshops to address both production and food safety concerns, tailored to the feedback received from the agricultural community.Agrivoltaics Food Safety Considerations: Developing educational content specific to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by agrivoltaics systems.

Project Methods
Objective 1: Enhancing Rural Produce Safety TrainingThe Collaborative is committed to enhancing workshop and training opportunities, focusing particularly on rural and geographically isolated parts of Colorado. Our multifaceted approach includes:Conducting both in-person and online Produce Safety Rule (PSR) grower trainings to broaden accessibility.Supporting annual conference sessions at the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) to facilitate ongoing learning and networking.Offering face-to-face hands-on workshops, with Spanish interpretation available to cater to a diverse audience.Regularly maintaining and updating the coproducesafety.org website, posting new resources and translations of existing materials to ensure up-to-date information is accessible.From 2016 to the present, we have successfully trained over 625 growers, significantly enhancing their access to critical produce safety knowledge. We are actively seeking funding to reduce the financial barriers for producers by subsidizing the costs associated with their training materials, including manuals, certificates, handouts, and shipping.Objective 2: Urban Farming and HydroponicsUrban farming has increasingly embraced hydroponics, a soil-less crop production technique where plants are grown directly in a nutrient-rich solution. This system is especially beneficial in urban settings where space is limited. Prominent hydroponic systems, such as the nutrient film technique (NFT) and deep water culture (DWC), are predominantly used for growing high-value leafy greens with short production cycles. While these systems generally present a reduced risk of pathogens, recent incidents have highlighted the need for robust food safety measures. To address this, we plan to conduct an in-depth online survey by January 2025 to pinpoint the specific needs of Colorado's hydroponic producers, aiming to enhance our food safety protocols and provide targeted training and resources.Objective 3: Resource Development and Translation3.1 Material Translation: The CO Produce Safety Collaborative intends to translate 10 previously developed technical fact sheets and webinars into Spanish. This effort will increase accessibility for non-English speaking growers and ensure that vital safety information is available to a wider audience.3.2 Extension Material Development: Utilizing feedback from the CEA survey, we will develop comprehensive extension materials to directly address the industry's concerns and interests within Colorado. These resources will include at least three detailed bulletins/pamphlets and a series of six short videos. Topics will range from hydroponic reservoir management and waste management practices to water quality, the use of chemicals such as algicides, and effective cleaning and sanitation practices in diverse hydroponic systems. All materials will be made available through CSU Extension and will be distributed on platforms like YouTube to ensure broad accessibility.Objective 4: Conducting Comprehensive Workshops4.1 Regional Workshops: Annually, we will organize four half-day workshops in various geographic regions of the state. These sessions are designed to address the specific needs of small to mid-size producers, especially those who might be exempt from the PSR. Workshop topics will include on-farm cleaning, sanitizing procedures, good agricultural practices, cold chain management, and post-harvest handling.4.2 Specialized Hydroponic Workshops: We will also offer two intensive, one-day workshops each year at the CSU Spur campus during the project's second and third years. These workshops will focus on hydroponic production techniques and related food safety practices, providing hands-on learning experiences using the campus's advanced greenhouse facilities.Objective 5: Promoting AgrivoltaicsColorado has established itself as a leader in the innovative field of agrivoltaics, which combines agriculture with solar photovoltaic energy production. This sustainable approach not only optimizes crop growth by creating beneficial microclimates but also contributes to renewable energy generation. Our initiatives, supported by state regulations and pioneering research from Colorado State University (CSU), have focused on the benefits and operational impacts of agrivoltaics on crop production and water use efficiency. Dr. Mark Uchanski, alongside his colleagues in the Horticulture department, has been instrumental in exploring how the microclimates created by solar panels affect these factors. To further this understanding, we are developing comprehensive documents that will explore the implications of food safety regulations on agrivoltaic systems, particularly focusing on critical crops such as leafy greens, cantaloupes, and peppers. These documents will include a detailed white paper and a series of pamphlets that assess the agronomic practices within agrivoltaics, focusing on risk assessments and safety protocols.