Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Training offered to all farmers: The first Food Safety Short Course was offered as a full-day, 8 hour workshop at Viva Farms on December 6, 2017. Twenty-four (24) growers attended, and simultaneous interpretation was provided in Spanish. The second Food Safety Short course was offered on April 13th, 2018. Nineteen (19)growers attended. The course was offered half in English and half in Spanish, and simultaneous interpretation was provided for either English or Spanish as appropriate. Training specific to Viva Farms incubator program participants: Eighteen (18) beginning farm businesses and over 25 growers were provided technical assistance in Food Safety best practices in areas of pre-harvest and harvest activities, field packing, transportation and post-harvest washing and packing of produce. All incubator participants received a group training on June 27th, 2018 to review the Viva Farms Food Safety Plan and associated policies for implementing food-safe best practicds. Individual technical assistance was provided in areas of traceability, product labelling and sanitation practices. Land-Based Cohort Practicum Training: Food Safety curriculum was refined and integrated into the Viva Farms Practicum program, as to be appropriate for new farmers. Two class periods were spent specifically instructing beginning farmers on Food Safety principles, both from a regulatory and applied perspective. Students were instructed on best practices in pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest to minimize food safety risks and the risk of contamination. All trainings were offered bilingually in English and Spanish in partnership with WSU Skagit County Extension. Ten students began the practicum program and 8 students completed the entire program. Education, Training and Outreach Video Production: The PSA grower training held on December 6, 2017 was video-recorded, and both attendees and presenters were interviewed. The result of this effort was a promotional video, subtitled in Spanish, which would serve as an outreach tool to promote grower awareness around regulatory changes associated with FSMA and specifically around grower training requirements uder the new law. Two 10-minute instrutional videos were also created to offer an overview of Food Safety concepts. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
FSOP Narrative Report Year 2--09/01/17 -- 08/31/18 Rob Smith, Operations Director Activities Deliver and deliver Bilingual Land Based 3-week Food Safety Short Course Outreach and promotion activities for the first food safety short course began in Q1 of year 2.Posters in English and Spanish were created and promoted via email, listservs, social media, as well as posted in physical locations, assisted by WSU and WSDA. The first Food Safety Short Course was offered as a full-day, 8 hour workshop at Viva Farms on December 6th, 2017, in partnership with WSDA and WSU.The course presented the Grower Training curriculum of the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA), which include modules on General Food Safety principles, Worker Health and Training, Soil Amendments, Wildlife and Domesticated Animals, Agricultural and Post-Harvest water, Post-harvest Handling and Food Safety Plans.There were 24 growers that attended the course and the course was offered with simultaneous interpretation by WSU to improve access.The course was designed to meet the Grower Training requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and so growers who attended were able to serve as managers for their farm operations and comply with incoming regulations.Attendees received certificates of completion from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO).A video crew from Skagit Media marketing took footage of the workshop and also interviewed course instructors and grower attendees in order to develop at 5 minute promotional video for outreach purposes, to be used to promote the following short course. The second Food Safety Short Course was offered on April 13th, 2018, in partnership with WSU and WSDA.Again, the PSA Grower Training course was offered to meet grower demand for a course that would satisfy grower training requirements under FSMA.There were 19 growers who attended the course and received certificates of completion from AFDO.The second course was offered half in English and half in Spanish, where select modules were taught in one language or the other and there was simultaneous interpretation offered into the other language.All attendees wore headsets and listened in their native language, as a way to further open access to Spanish-speakers. Land-Based Incubator Food Safety Training Through Year 2 of the grant period, 18 farm businesses and over 25 growers were given technical assistance in Food Safety best practices in areas of pre-harvest and harvest activities, field packing, transportation and post-harvest washing and packing of produce.Each grower received a group training on June 27th, 2018 to review the Viva Farms Food Safety Plan and associated policies for implementing food-safe best practices.Individual technical assistance was provided in areas of traceability, product labelling and sanitation practices All incubating farm businesses (18 in 2018) were covered under the Viva Farms GAPs certification, obtained in September of 2017 and certified by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).All product that was sold under the Viva Farms labelled was marketed as GAPs certified. Growers at Viva Farms were able to use the newly designed and constructed wash-pack station to more efficiently operate to scale up their business for wholesale operations.The wash-pack station was also used as a training resource for growers to practice proper sanitation and record-keeping techniques.In early 2018, Viva Farms purchased several pallets of Intercrates, reusable totes that were able to standardize the container into which produce was harvested in the field and stored in cold storage.This allowed growers to make maximum use of the cold storage facilities.Growers were trained on proper cleaning and sanitation procedures in line with our Food Safety plan, using these new standardized harvest totes. By attaining GAPs certification that covers all product sold under the Viva Farms label, growers were able to greatly increase their wholesale sales during the 2018 season.Viva Farms was able to begin selling to larger distribution companies, such as Organically Grown Company and increase sales to Whole Foods Markets, which in turn created a larger demand for Farmer product.Accordingly, Viva Farmers sales increased from $182,000 to over $200,000 between the 2017 and 2018 seasons.All Farmers at the Viva Farms incubator, and several other small farmers in the area, for a total of 30 farmers, were able to access these increased wholesale markets due to strides in Food Safety training and certification. Land-Based Cohort Practicum Training Food Safety curriculum was refined and integrated into the Viva Farms Practicum program, as to be appropriate for new farmers. 2 courses in Q1 of Year 2 were spent specifically instructing beginning farmers on Food Safety principles, both from a regulatory and applied perspective.Students were instructed on best practices in pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest to minimize food safety risks and the risk of contamination.Curriculum was based upon "Wholesale Success", a publication from Family Farmed, as well as "Direct Marketing", a grower training resource from the UCSC CASFS program and the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training offered as a stand-along workshop.All trainings were offered bilingually in English and Spanish in partnership with WSU Skagit Extension. While 10 students began the course in Q1, as of the end of the year, only 8 students remained in the course. Practicum students were able to access all appropriate infrastructure, including greenhouses, fields, cold storage and the wash-pack station and were instructed in Food Safety best practices related to each of these types of infrastructure. Education, Training and Outreach Video Production Skagit Media Marketing, a local professional video production company was engaged to create several videos over the course of Year 2 of the grant period. Skagit Media Marketing attended the PSA Grower Training on 12/6/17 and shot footage of the workshop and interviewed both workshop attendees and presenters.The product of this project was a promotional video, subtitled in Spanish, which would serve as an outreach tool to promote grower awareness around regulatory changes associated with FSMA and specifically around grower training requirements under the new law.The video presented an overview of the course and featured interviews with farmers and presenters about the importance of taking the course.The video was used to promote the subsequent course that was offered on 4/13/18.The video was made available on Viva Farms' website and YouTube channel, as well as sent out on email listserves, specifically to promote the next Grower Training course offered in April. Skagit Media Marketing was also engaged to shoot, edit and finalize two, 10 minute instructional videos (English and Spanish) that offered an overview of Food Safety concepts.The videos created covered an overview of relevant microbial threats to on-farm food safety and looked a general ways to limit cross-contamination in all aspects of farm operations.The video was created as an educational video that farmers could use to offer a basic level of training to farm employees and help to increase food safety best practices on the farm.The videos were finalized in Q4 of Year 2 and were made available to growers on the Viva Farms website, YouTube Channel and also through flash-drives there were distributed to growers in the region.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Skagit County, located in Northwest Washington, is a geographically and culturally diverse community with a mix of extensive rural areas, four small cities, and a number of small towns and communities. In 2014, 17.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. [1] Mount Vernon, the largest city in Skagit County, has the highest Hispanic population with 54.7% of children within the Mount Vernon School District identifying as Hispanic in the 2014-2015 school year.[2] Skagit County has some of the most productive soil in the world. Local farmers produce $300 million annually in over 90 different commercial food crops. [3] The industry is 2nd in the Puget Sound Region, and 10th in the state based on crop value.The average size of farms is 99 acres with 943 under $100,000, 57 between $100,000 and $499,000, and 74 above $500,000 in sales. [4] Unfortunately, 38% of Skagit Valley farmland has been lost since 1940 shrinking from 150,000 to 93,000 today. [4] As of 2012, the average age of a farmer in Washington was 58. In the next 20 years, 70% of all Washington State farmers are expected to retire. [4] American Farmland Trust designated the region the fifth most threatened agricultural region in the nation. The number of farms in Skagit County have decreased 12% from 2007 to 2012. [4] The number of farms in Washington State decreased from 39,284 in 2007, to 37,249 in 2012, a loss of 5.2%. [4] In order to replace retiring farmers, Washington, and specifically Skagit County, needs well-trained beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. Fortunately, there is a demographic that has the potential to engage the next generation in agriculture: beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource farmers and farm workers. However, these producers must overcome significant barriers to become successful farm owners and operators. Prior research by WSU researchers shows that small- scale and socially disadvantaged producers are typically underserved by standard research and extension models. [5] Numbers of immigrant farmers in Washington have been steadily increasing, Latino principal operators in Washington increased from 1,643 to 1,874 between 2007 and 2012, an increase of 14%. Latino operated farms now account for 5% of all Washington farms, up from 4.2% in 2007, and generate over $367 million in farm sales. [4] In 2012, Latino operated farms accounted for 1% of Washington's production acreage. Latinos account for a disproportionately small number of farm owners, considering they provide 83% of all US agricultural labor. [6] Washington has one of the largest farmworker populations in the country, with an estimated 619,699 farmworkers and dependents in Washington. Most of these farmworkers are Latino or from Mexican indigenous groups such as Mixteco and Zapoteco. [7] Two-thirds are estimated to be "settled" rather than migrant. Latino-owned farms are clustered in regions with large numbers of farmworkers, such as the orchard (Central) and berry (Northwest) regions. In Skagit County located in the Northwest, there are 7,000 Latino farm workers, of which at least 60% are Mexican indigenous (vs. 23% statewide), and an estimated 61% are now year-round residents and would have the stability needed to become principal operators of farms. [8] However, farm workers face significant financial barriers to farm ownership. A 2008 survey of farm workers in WA found the average annual income for a family of four is $17,596 [9].Our target audience that has been reached through our work this period is beginning, socially disadvantaged and limited resource farmers and farm workers, especially participants in Viva Farms Land-Based Incubator Program and Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture. In addition, we have reached our Spanish-speaking target audience as all of our workshops, courses and printed materials have been offered bilingually and all of our workshops are open to farmers in the region who wish to attend. Our target audience reach was further expanded as our bilingual outreach and food safety videos were made available to growers on the Viva Farms website and YouTube Channel (for the target audience beyond our local region) and through flash drives that were distributed to growers regionally. Changes/Problems:As food safety efforts in the state and nation shifted to focus on the FDA approved Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training, Viva Farms revised their plans from a training series to instead focus on a single Spanish/English PSA Grower Training. One Viva Farms staff member and all WSDA staff assisting this project became certified PSA GT trainers or lead trainers. The PSA training was ultimately delivered to 43 incubating and local farmers, in addition to components of the training being incorporated into Viva Farms ongoing Practicum training and technical assistance. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Viva Farms Operations and Incubator Director Rob Smith attended a two-day Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Train-the Trainer course in Portland, OR. By becoming a certified trainer through the PSA, a nationally-recognized program based at Cornell University, Smith was certified to deliver a curriculum that satisfies the grower training curriculum requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).The two-day training certified Smith as a PSA Trainer and would allow Viva Farms to offer a Food Safety short course that would provide more value to growers and trainees. Additionally, Smith earned an additional certificate from the PSA, as a Lead Trainer allowing Viva Farms to register and deliver PSA courses independently. Three WSDA staff assisting this project also became certified PSA GT trainers or lead trainers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Two 10-minute Food Safety instructional videos (English and Spanish) and one promotional video was created with a professional video production company, Skagit Media Marketing, to ensure a high-quality product that could be utilized nationally. They filmed and did post-production of the PSA training and other relevant material to create the videos which were made available on Viva Farms' website and YouTube channel, was sent out on email list serves and also were distributed to growers in the region through flash-drives. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Our target audience of beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers requires access to customized services, including bilingual formal and informal training and technical assistance provided by trusted educational partners in multiple formats to improve the likelihood of success of their beginning farm businesses. The impact of our project has been that we have successfully expanded bilingual food safety education and outreach integrating new federal guidelines under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) for our target audience through enhanced partnerships with governmental and educational institutions. One of Viva Farms' staff was certified as a Produce Safety Alliance trainer and as such was able to offer a series of bilingual trainings that satisfied grower training requirements under the new law. As a result of our trainings and other food safety infrastructure improvements on the farm, Viva Farms and all incubating farmers (18 in 2018) were GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) certified. Farmers at the Viva Farms incubator and several other small farmers in the area (a total of 30 farmers) were able to access increased wholesale markets due to these strides in food safety. Viva farmers' sales increased by 85% from 2017 to 2018 due in partto these improvements. Our objectives were achieved as follows 1.Enhance partnerships of local non-profit Viva Farms, land-grant university Washington State University (WSU), Washington State University Skagit County Extension (WSU Ext.) and Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). In October 2016, initial planning and curriculum development commenced between Viva Farms and WSDA at the two-day PSA (Produce Safety Alliance) training. Continued course development took place in fall of 2017 as WSDA consulted with Viva Farms regarding approaches to on-farm food safety workshops. Ultimately, two 8 hour Food Safety Short Courses (PSA Trainings) were offered to meet the Grower Training requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) using curriculum from the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) in partnership with WSDA and WSU. WSU provided simultaneous interpretation for both workshops. WSDA conducted outreach and served as lead and assistant trainers sharing the teaching with Viva educators. To WSDA's knowledge these were the first PSA Grower Trainings with Spanish interpretation that were offered in Washington State with collaboration between a state agency and a non-profit organization. WSDA sent follow up information to all training attendees. WSDA staff provided references to consultants who could assist the Viva Farms educational farm with the USDA GAP Audit process and also offered WSDA staff assistance in reviewing the farm's draft food safety plan. After the development of the food safety plan, Viva Farms successfully passed a food safety audit conducted by WSDA on August 31, 2017 laying the groundwork for subsequent GAP certification. 2.Develop, adapt and implement food safety education and outreach integrating FSMA guidelines that can be utilized nationally. Several in-person meetings with Washington State University Skagit Extension took place to coordinate bi-lingual translation services and to explore the availability of PSA Grower Trainer manuals being made available in Spanish. The PSA ultimately released Spanish-language versions of appropriate materials in Q3 of 2017. To ensure a high-quality product that could be utilized nationally, Skagit Media Marketing, a professional video production company, was engaged to film and do post-production of the PSA training and other relevant material to create two 10-minute Food Safety instructional videos (English and Spanish) and one promotional video. The videos covered ways to limit cross-contamination in all aspects of farm operations, and was also available for use as basic training for farm employees. The videos were made available to growers on the Viva Farms website, YouTube Channel and also through flash-drives there were distributed to growers in the region. 3.Increase coordination and access to food safety education and outreach that removes barriers to participation of the target audience. WSDA staff provided assistance to register the PSA training for participant certification, to acquire the curriculum and training manuals in Spanish and to explore cost-sharing options to make the course fee more accessible to the target audience. The film company attended the first PSA Grower Training on 12/6/17 and created a promotional video, subtitled in Spanish, which served as an outreach tool as well as to promote grower awareness around training requirements. The video was made available on Viva Farms' website and YouTube channel, was sent out on email list serves, specifically to promote the next Grower Training course offered in April. 4.Increase food safety knowledge, skills and practices consistent with FSMA guidelines of target audience. Throughout the growing season, bilingual applied food safety training was offered to all participants and growers in the incubator program. During Q1 and Q2 of year 1, a comprehensive Food Safety plan for the Viva Farms incubator was developed, in partnership with growers on-site, and based upon WSDA publication, "Bridging the GAPs". Concurrently, Viva Farms was designing a new wash-pack building to allow for better Food Safety practices and more efficiency of post-harvest operations. The design and construction on the new wash-pack station, along with the development of the comprehensive Food Safety plan, allowed Viva Farms to engage with and offer bi-lingual technical assistance to incubating farm businesses on all matters related to Food Safety. Farmers were able to contribute to the design and access all pertinent infrastructure related to on-farm Food Safety. Formal trainings were offered to incubating farmers in June, July and August in compliance with GAPs pending certification. Through Year 2 of the grant period, 18 farm businesses and over 25 growers were given technical assistance in Food Safety best practices in areas of pre-harvest and harvest activities, field packing, transportation and post-harvest washing and packing of produce. Each grower received a group training on June 27th, 2018 to review the Viva Farms Food Safety Plan and associated policies for implementing food-safe best practices. Individual technical assistance was provided in areas of traceability, product labelling and sanitation practices. Growers at Viva Farms were able to use the newly designed and constructed wash-pack station to more efficiently operate to scale up their business for wholesale operations. The wash-pack station was also used as a training resource for growers to practice proper sanitation and record-keeping techniques. Two 8-hour PSA trainings were given at Viva Farms on December 6th, 2017 and April 13th, 2018 to meet Grower Training requirements under FSMA. WSU provided simultaneous interpretation for both workshops. The courses were attended by 24 and 19 growers, respectively. Attendees received certificates of completion from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). These certifications in conjunction with infrastructure improvements allowed Viva Farms to obtain our GAPs certification, covering all incubating farm businesses in September of 2017 with certification by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). All trainings were offered bilingually in English and Spanish in partnership with WSU Ext and were integrated into the Viva Farms Practicum program. Based upon "Wholesale Success", a publication from Family Farmed, as well as "Direct Marketing", a grower training resource from the UCSC CASFS program, two courses were spent specifically instructing beginning farmers on food safety both from a regulatory and applied perspective, including instruction in pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest to the risk of contamination.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Our project's target audience consists of beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource farmers and farm workers, especially those who participate in the Viva Farms Land-based Incubator program and the Land-based Cohort Practicum Training. All of our workshops are offered bi-lingually with simultaneous translation to Spanish, and are open to any farmer in the local region who wish to attend. Through bi-lingual video production, we will expand our audience to a larger area. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Viva Farms Operation and Incubator Director Rob Smith attended a two-day Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Train-the Trainer course in Portland, OR.By becoming a certified trainer through the PSA, a nationally-recognized program based at Cornell University, Smith was certified to deliver a curriculum that satisfies the grower training curriculum requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).The two-day training certified Smith as a PSA Trainer and would allow Viva Farms to offer a Food Safety short course that would provide more value to growers and trainees. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?It was decided, in conjunction with grant partners WSU and WSDA, that the first short-course would be offered in Q1 of Year 2, largely owing to the seasonality of farm operations and grower's unavailability to attend the course during the peak summer and fall seasons Education, Training and Outreach Video Production A video production business was identified and initial discussions were made around filming the short-course when it is first offered in Q1 of Year 2.Skagit Media Marketing, a professional video production firm will assist in filming and post-production to ensure a high quality product that Viva Farms can share through appropriate channels and online portals.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Role: Deliver and deliver Bilingual Land Based 3-week Food Safety Short Course Preparation for course development began in October 2016, when Rob Smith attended a two-day Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Train-the Trainer course in Portland, OR.By becoming a certified trainer through the PSA, a nationally-recognized program based at Cornell University, Smith was certified to deliver a curriculum that satisfies the grower training curriculum requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).The two-day training certified Smith as a PSA Trainer and would allow Viva Farms to offer a Food Safety short course that would provide more value to growers and trainees.Beyond the increased knowledge of food safety topics that growers would gain, they would also be able to attain a certificate that would assist growers in regulatory compliance under FSMA.During Q2 of the grant period (Jan-Mar), Smith received an additional applied for and received an additional certificate from the PSA, receiving a Lead Trainer certificate, allowing Viva Farms to register and deliver PSA courses independently. Short-course planning also commenced at the two-day PSA training, as staff from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) were also present at the training.Initial assessment and planning stages happened at the training and discussions around curriculum development also took place. Continued course development and design took place over Q3 and Q4 of the grant.Several in-person meetings with Washington State University Skagit Extension took place to coordinate bi-lingual translation services and to explore the availability of PSA Grower Trainer manuals being made available in Spanish.The PSA released Spanish-language versions of appropriate materials in Q3 of the grant, which will allow Viva Farms to reach a broader audience for course delivery. Land-Based Incubator Food Safety Training Throughout the growing season, bilingual Food Safety training was offered to all participants and growers in the incubator program.During Q1 and Q2, a comprehensive Food Safety plan for the Viva Farms incubator was developed, in partnership with growers on-site, and based upon WSDA publication, "Bridging the GAPs".Concurrently, Viva Farms was designing a new wash-pack building to allow for better Food Safety practices and more efficiency of post-harvest operations.The design and construction on the new wash-pack station, along with the development of the comprehensive Food Safety plan, allowed Viva Farms to engage with and offer bi-lingual technical assistance to incubating farm businesses on all matters related to Food Safety.Farmers were able to contribute to the design and access all pertinent infrastructure related to on-farm Food Safety. Formal trainings were offered to incubating farmers in June, July and August in compliance with the pending Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) certification. After the development of the Food Safety plan, Viva Farms scheduled and successfully passed a Food Safety audit conducted by WSDA on August 31st, 2017.Pending approval from the USDA, Viva Farms--and all of the incubating businesses at Viva--will be officially Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) certified in Year 2. Land-Based Cohort Practicum Training Food Safety curriculum were integrated into the Viva Farms Practicum program.2 courses in Q3 were spent specifically instructing beginning farmers on Food Safety principles, both from a regulatory and applied perspective.Students were instructed on best practices in pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest to minimize food safety risks and the risk of contamination.Curriculum was based upon "Wholesale Success", a publication from Family Farmed, as well as "Direct Marketing", a grower training resource from the UCSC CASFS program.All trainings were offered bilingually in English and Spanish in partnership with WSU Skagit Extension.While 12 students began the course in Q1, as of the end of the year, only 6 students remained in the course. Practicum students were able to access all appropriate infrastructure, including greenhouses, fields, cold storage and the wash-pack station and were instructed in Food Safety best practices.
Publications
|