Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience: Agricultural Service organizations. In particular, the organizations identified in the proposal: Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Berkshire Grown Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) Cape Cod Cooperative Extension (CCCE) Sustainable Nantucket Commercial vegetable, berry and fruit producers, including but not limited to the particular target audiences of the organizations identified above; respectively: Organic farmers and MA producers of all scales and production practices Small farmers, food entrepreneurs and the Berkshire community Small-scale commercial enterprises with focus on specialty crops and direct to consumer or retailer sales, serving farmers in Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties Diverse, economically disadvantaged, immigrant, refugee, and beginning farmers Farmers in Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk Counties Farmers and Gardeners in the 15 towns in Barnstable County Island growers, who are historically not well connected to mainland support networks Changes/Problems:There were no major changes or problems during the final year of this project. The goals outlined for the next reporting period in the annual report for year 2 were all met with the exception of an end-of-project survey to assess long-term impacts of our outreach, which will be designed and delivered instead by the Northeast Regional Center. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Project Director particpated in the NECAFS annual meeting in Albany, NY and received updates and information through webinars and listservs hosted by the Produce Safety Alliance and other educator groups. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Collaborating organizations helped to co-host and publicize events, and served as resources within their respective communities to answer or appropriately direct questions about produce safety. Information and updates were disseminated through their newsletters and websites. Information about research, resources, and events is posted on the UMass Food Safety for Farmers website, along with other relevant UMass Extension sites--the Vegetable and Fruit Programs and the Center for Food and Agriculture. Resources, including our FSMA compliance tool, have been posted to the NECAFS Clearinghouse, a searchable database of food safety information for farmers throughout the Northeast. Articles and events are included in the UMass Vegetable Program's newsletter, Vegetable Notes, which has a readership of nearly 3000. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Establish connection with NECAFS PD participated in 2019 annual meeting in Albany, including presenting a break-out session to fellow attendees on strategies for presenting produce safety trainings to growers. PD has also joined the Advisory Group for the NECAFS project, Extension Legal Services Initiative. This group met January 14 & 15, 2019 to create legal research questions related to the FSMA Produce Rule based on results of a grower survey. Annual reports have been shared with NECAFS and resources created through this project have been posted to the NECAFS Clearinghouse. 2. Establish a network of individuals at farm advocacy and educational service agencies Collaborating community organizations continue to communicate and receive updates related to food safety and this project. Additional organizations, whose stakeholders benefit from accurate information about food safety and FSMA inspections have also been included in updates. MDAR and UMass hosted a conference call on November 28, 2018 to inform particpants about MDAR's plans for beginning FSMA inspections, the state's Commonwealth Quality Program, and available resources and technical assistance, as well as to receive input from the organizations about the needs in their areas. Particpating were Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, Berkshire Grown, Central Mass Grown, CISA, New Entry, NOFA/Mass, Northeast Harvest, SEMAP, and Sustainable Nantucket. UMass and MDAR intend to maintain a schedule of these updates when this project, which inspired these collaborations, concludes. Additionally, several organizations were co-sponsors of trainings and workshops, and shared event postings and other information through their outlets. The PD was in regular contact with advisory group members through one-on-one meetings, phone calls and emails. 3. Align UMass outreach and training materials with FSMA Produce Rule We continue to deliver Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings in various locations in the state. These trainings are co-presented by PD and the Director of the MA Produce Safety Inspection Program/CQP at MDAR and include specific information about how the FSMA Produce Rule will be implemented in MA. We also have delivered workshops and other presentations on food safety to help growers comply with FSMA and good agricultural practices. The UMass Food Safety for Farmers website continues to be updated to include timely information about FSMA relevant to the major farm risk areas, along with resources on audit programs and best practices for producers not required to comply with the new rules. 4. Develop new resources The UMass Food Safety for Farmers website continues to be updated to provide information and resources to growers. The state (MDAR) created their own website on their produce safety inspection program, which directs growers to our web resources. We have also made practical resources developed by our colleagues in other state Extensions available to growers at trainings and on-line, inclusing those developed by the University of Vermont's Agricultural Engineering team and others available on the NECAFS searchable Clearinghouse. 5. Expand the audience for UMass food safety trainings We conducted 6 Produce Safety Alliance Grower trainings in MA, certifying 154 attendees. Evaluations from the MA programs were returned by 140 people, of whom 74% had never before attended a GAPs training of any kind. Most (74%) had never participated in a 3rd- party audit. The majority (55%) have been farming for fewer than 10 years, and 42% of attendees were female. Many growers (16%) reported annual sales of less than $25,000, making them fully exempt from FSMA, and an additional 46% may be qualified exempt, based on their annual produce sales. These smaller growers have typically historically not sought produce safety education, but have reported that they are now interested for both market access reasons and because they are wanting to be sure they are using safe practices. Our outreach was expanded into grower communities that we might not otherwise have reached by co-hosting trainings with CISA, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, SEMAP and Berkshire Grown. 6. Assess impacts of training Using the standard evaluation provided with the PSA curriculum, we assessed changes in attendees' knowledge and confidence after completing training. The following percentages of attendees at UMass PSA Trainings agree or strongly agree that the trainings increased their knowledge and confidence, respectively, in key produce safety areas: Introduction to Produce Safety, 94%, n/a Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training, 89%, 94% Soil Amendments, 92%, 91% Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use, 91%, 86% Agricultural Water - Production Water, 94%, 89% Agricultural Water - Postharvest Water, 94%, 91% Postharvest Handling and Sanitation, 96%, 94% How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan, 91%, 90% To augment these trainings, we presented hands-on workshops to help growers in areas that they and MDAR auditors/inspectors identified as priorities: Food Safety Planning and Pest Management in Packhouses. At the Food Safety Planning workshop, growers learned how to create a water distribution map for their farm, how to develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) and how to develop a food safety plan. On a 5-point scale, respondents to the program evaluation increased their knowledge by nearly 2 points in each of these areas (1.73, 1.64, and 1.73, respectively) and 73% replied that they were "very likely" to implement information gained in each of these topics on their farms. At the Pest Management workshop, which focused on rats and birds in packhouses, attendees increased their knowledge by at least 1 point (on a 5-point scale) and many were "very likely" to implement new practices in the following areas: Designing/Retrofitting packhouse with food safety in mind, 1.28, 38% Implementing a pest mgmt program, 1.25, 44% Controlling birds, 1.81, 31% Controlling rodents, 1.50. 56% 7. Increase farmer knowledge, confidence and implementation A survey tool to evaluate the longer-term impacts of training on knowledge, confidence, and implementation is being developed by each of the regional centers to be delivered to PSA trainees across the country. All participants will be asked the same questions for nationally representative data. The broader impact of this project beyond these stated goals has been that UMass now has a Produce Safety Education Program and a dedicated Produce Safety Educator. Funding for this position has been continued for the next several years through a cooperative agreement with MDAR. We have heard from growers in both program surveys and anecdotally that they are relieved that there is so much help available. A grower at the Food Safety Planning workshop replied on their evaluation, "MDAR and UMass are here to help!" Routine communication among growers, the state regulatory authority, and our community collaborators has helped reduce confusion and anxiety. Growers have reported that they feel comfortable reaching out to UMass with questions. This is supported by the increasing number of calls, emails, and requests for on-farm visits received by UMass. We hope that this will help to decrease produce safety risks and ensure that growers are in compliance with regulations.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:1. Agricultural Service organizations. In particular, the organizations identified in the proposal: Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Berkshire Grown Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) Cape Cod Cooperative Extension (CCCE) Sustainable Nantucket 2. Commercial vegetable, berry and fruit producers, including but not limited to the particular target audiences of the organizations identified above; respectively: Organic farmers and MA producers of all scales and production practices Small farmers, food entrepreneurs and the Berkshire community Small-scale commercial enterprises with focus on specialty crops and direct to consumer or retailer sales, serving farmers in Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties Diverse, economically disadvantaged, immigrant, refugee, and beginning farmers Farmers in Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk Counties Farmers and Gardeners in the 15 towns in Barnstable County Island growers, who are historically not well connected to mainland support networks Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During year 1, representatives from 2 of our collaborating organizations who had served as food safety point persons for public outreach in their areas had left their positions. In year 2, new representatives received certification in the Produce Safety Alliance curriculum. In addition, 3 new MDAR food safety inspectors and 1 UMass staff person were also trained and certified. The Project Director took advantage of several professional development opportunities during year 2 of the project: NECAFS annual meeting, Baltimore, MD On-Farm Readiness Review Training, Riverhead, NY Preventive Controls Qualified Individual Training, Storrs, CT Student Farm Enterprise Commonwealth Quality Program audit, S. Deerfield, MA Food Safety for Farms Open to Visitors workshop, Thetford, VT CT Produce Buyer's Meeting, Storrs, CT Grower trainings provided opportunity for Massachusetts growers to meet the FSMA Produce Rule requirements that at least one person from their farm receive FDA-approved food safety education. This training will help them to deliver trainings to their own employees on good agricultural practices, as required by FSMA. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Collaborating organizations helped to co-host and publicize events, and served as resources within their respective communities to answer or appropriately direct questions about produce safety. Information and updates were disseminated through their newsletters and websites and we were invited to present information about FSMA at their regular meetings and conferences. Information about research, resources, and events is posted on UMass Food Safety for Farmers website, along with other relevant UMass Extension sites--the Vegetable and Fruit Programs and the Center for Food and Agriculture. Resources, including our FSMA compliance tool, have been posted to the NECAFS Clearinghouse, a searchable database of food safety information for farmers throughout the Northeast. Articles and events are included in the UMass Vegetable Program's newsletter, Vegetable Notes, which has a readership of about 2800. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the final year of this project, we plan to host another series of Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings in various locations around Massachusetts. We plan to deliver at least one additional on-farm workshop to address an area of need. We will maintain routine conference calls with our group of collaborator organizations to keep them updated on any regulatory changes and receive feedback from their audiences. Finally, we will conduct an end-of-project survey of all trainees and workshop attendees to assess the long-term impacts of our outreach.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project aims to address a lack of education and resources for small and medium sized produce farms on produce safety regulations and practices. By accessing UMass Extension's network of both educators and the many farmers in Massachusetts who rely on UMass programming, along with the grower networks of the several community organizations involved in this project, we aim to reach a broad audience with relevant information about how FSMA will affect growers in MA. 1. Establish connection with NECAFS PD participated in 2018 annual meeting in Baltimore and in monthly webinars, including presenting information on this project in a NECAFS food safety project round table on 5/10/18. PD has also joined the Advisory Group for the NECAFS project, Extension Legal Services Initiative. 2. Establish a network of individuals at farm advocacy and educational service agencies Collaborating community organizations remain a vital part of this project. The group of representatives from the 7 organizations, along with additional partners from other agricultural organizations, including Mass Farm to School network, met in Jan 2018 in two advisory meetings to receive regulatory updates from the MA Dept of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and to discuss outreach opportunities and needs in their respective areas. Several organizations were co-sponsors of trainings and workshops, and shared event postings and other information through their outlets. The PD was in regular contact with advisory group members through one-on-one meetings, phone calls and emails. 3. Align UMass outreach and training materials with FSMA Produce Rule. We continue to deliver Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings in various locations in the state. These trainings are co-presented by PD and the Director of the MA Produce Safety Inspection Program/CQP at MDAR and include specific information about how the FSMA Produce Rule will be implemented in MA. We also have delivered workshops and other presentations on food safety to help growers comply with FSMA and good agricultural practices. The UMass Food Safety for Farmers website was extensively updated in year 2 to include detailed information about FSMA relevant to the major farm risk areas, along with resources on audit programs and best practices for producers not required to comply with the new rules. 4. Develop new resources We created an interactive on-line tool to help growers understand whether they are covered under the Produce Rule and to help them access resources regardless of their coverage or exemption status. Created fact sheet for website on produce infiltration and published articles in UMass newsletter on produce safety for mixed-use farm facilities, innovations in small scale washing equipment, and FSMA regulatory updates. 5. Expand the audience for UMass food safety trainings We conducted 4 Produce Safety Alliance Grower trainings in MA, certifying 133 attendees. Additionally, PD served as lead trainer for a PSA training in Concord, NH attended by 39 people. Evaluations from the MA programs were returned by over 100 people, of whom 68% had never before attended a GAPs training of any kind. Most (86%) had never participated in a 3rd-party audit. Nearly half (47%) have been farming for fewer than 10 years, and 42% of attendees were female. Several growers reported annual sales of less than $25,000, making them fully exempt from FSMA, and an additional 62% may be qualified exempt, based on their annual produce sales. These smaller growers have typically not sought produce safety education, but have reported that they are interested for both market access reasons and because they just want to be sure they are doing the "right thing". Our outreach was expanded into grower communities that we might not otherwise have reached by co-hosting trainings with CISA, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, SEMAP and Berkshire Grown, UNH Extension, and the New England Farmer's Union. Also presented workshops and regulatory updates with and for CISA, the UMass Student Farming Enterprise, NOFA/Mass, and the New England Vegetable and Berry Grower's Association. 6. Assess impacts of training Using the standard evaluation provided with the PSA curriculum, we assessed changes in attendees' knowledge and confidence after completing training. The following percentages of attendees at UMass PSA Trainings agree or strongly agree that the trainings increased their knowledge and confidence, respectively, in key produce safety areas: Introduction to Produce Safety, 93%, n/a Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training, 88%, 93% Soil Amendments, 93%, 87% Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use, 85%, 82% Agricultural Water - Production Water, 97%, 84% Agricultural Water - Postharvest Water, 95%, 86% Postharvest Handling and Sanitation, 92%, 91% How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan, 90%, 83% Year 1 surveys helped us determine which topics were of greatest interest to growers. The following topics were ranked as those in which they were moderately or very interested (4 or 5 on a 5-point scale): Streamlined record-keeping Developing SOPs for produce safety Wash room equipment and tools Wash station design, use, and maintenance Employee training In response, we delivered two on-farm workshops in year 2 on Wash Station Design, Use, and Maintenance, and on Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Training Staff. Attendees at the Produce Wash Station workshop were surveyed about their knowledge before and after the program. The following percentage of attendees increased their knowledge of certain topics after attending this program: How to meet produce safety requirements or regulations, 53% Identifying produce safety hazards on farms, 47% How to design a wash/pack station that addresses produce safety hazards, 87% How to develop Standard Operating Procedures and keep sanitation records, 80% Attendees of the workshop on developing SOPs and training staff were surveyed after the program. Of the 25 attendees who completed evaluations, 64% said the presentation on how to create an SOP was 'very helpful' and 36% said it was 'somewhat helpful'. Seventy-two percent of attendees said they planned to make changes to their business as a result of the workshop, including: writing SOPs, spending more time before the season begins on training workers, better documentation, including a food safety session at the beginning of the work season, and looking at the overall operation with a food safety lens. 7. Increase farmer knowledge, confidence and implementation We are currently designing an end-of-project survey tool, which will be sent to all trainees and workshop attendees to determine the longer-term impact of training and other outreach. The broader impact of this project beyond these stated goals has been that UMass now has a Produce Safety Education Program and a dedicated Produce Safety Educator. Funding for this position has been continued for the next several years through a cooperative agreement with MDAR. We have heard from growers in both program surveys and anecdotally that they are relieved to know that "MA is in the forefront of reasonable programs" and that there is so much help available. Routine communication among growers, the state regulatory authority, and our community collaborators has helped reduce confusion and anxiety. Growers have reported that they feel comfortable reaching out to UMass with questions. This is supported by the increasing number of calls, emails, and requests for on-farm visits received by UMass. We hope that this will help to decrease produce safety risks and ensure that growers are in compliance with regulations.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:1. Agricultural Service organizations. In particular, the organizations identified in the proposal: Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Bershire Grown Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) Cape Cod Cooperative Extension (CCCE) Sustainable Nantucket 2. Commercial vegetable, berry and fruit producers, including but not limited to the particular target audiences of the organizations identified above; respectively: Organic farmers and MA producers of all scales and production practices Small farmers, food entrepreneurs and the Berkshire community Small-scale commercial enterprises with focus on specialty crops and direct to consumer or retailer sales, serving farmers in Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties Diverse, economically disadvantaged, immigrant, refugee, and beginning farmers Farmers in Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk Counties Farmers and Gardeners in the 15v towns in Barnstable County Island growers, who are historically no wel connected to mainland suppoort networks Changes/Problems:We originally proposed that we would develop a training curriculum that could be tailored for on-line delivery. We learned at the PSA Train-the-Trainer course in September 2017 that the PSA was considering developing an on-line version of their standard curriculum, but that currently attendees of on-line programs are not eligible to receive federally-recognized certification. We decided not to pursue development of this online component, but to focus instead on development of research-based resources and improvements to our food safety website. We did include an interactive on-line component with our Winter School series through a Moodle platform that allowed students to view supporting materials, participate in pre- and post-testing, and make use of a moderated forum. Each collaborating organization identified an individual who would receive food safety training and act as the point person for outreach and inbound food safety questions. During the first year, two of these representatives left their positions at their respective organizations. While these organizations are still very much involved in the project, we will try to identify a new representative and offer them attendance at an upcoming PSA grower training. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project funded training for agricultural service professionals at 7 different organizations on good agricultural practices and FSMA. The Project Director took advantage of several professional development and training opportunities: PSA Train-the-Trainer, Geneva, NY NECAFS/NEASDA Annual Meeting, Boston, MA FSOP Regional Meeting, Liverpool, NY Produce Safety Alliance Soil Summit, Geneva, NY Center for Produce Safety Research Symposium, Denver, CO PD joined MDAR food safety audit/inspection team on Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP) audits to better understand the process and growers' needs. PD invited to be a member of the NECAFS special projects grant review committee for 2017. Grower trainings provided opportunity for Massachusetts growers to meet the FSMA Produce Rule requirement that at least one person from their farm receive FDA-approved food safety education. This training will help them to deliver trainings to their own employees on good agricultural practices, again, as required by FSMA. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A representative from each of the 7 collaborating organizations received PSA Grower Training certification in order to help them to better understand the needs of their audiences and serve as a resource. These organizations helped to publicize events, increasing our reach among their niche audiences. Information and updates were disseminated through their newsletters and we were invited to present information about FSMA at their regular meetings and conferences. These representatives who make up our ag educator advisory group are: Yeshe Palmo, Sustainable Nantucket; Kate Bailey, Berkshire Grown; Molly DellaRoman, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project; Dan Bensonoff, Northeast Organic Farming Association, Massachusetts (NOFA/Mass); Stevie Schafenacker, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA); Karen Schwalbe, Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP); and Kim Concra, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension (CCCE). Each has done formal or informal needs assessments with their audiences and reported findings to UMass to inform future programming. Information about research, resources, and events is posted on UMass' 'Food Safety for Farmers' website (https://ag.umass.edu/resources/food-safety/food-safety-for-farmers). Articles and events are included in UMass Vegetable Program's newsletter, Vegetable Notes with a readership of about 2800. FSOP annual reports will be shared with NECAFS, which also created a shared events calendar and a web-based clearinghouse to which regional PDs can upload or link to useful information such as fact sheets, videos, and research. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In year 2 of the project, we plan to: Deliver another series of PSA Grower Trainings in different locations around the state, being sure to include areas that have not yet received training: Northeast MA, Western MA (Berkshires) and the Cape and Islands. In-person meetings of the advisory team are scheduled for winter 2017-18 to discuss the current plans for FSMA implementation, available resources, identified needs of stakeholders and possible event collaborations and opportunities for sharing of materials. Series of updates/Q&A sessions on the MA Produce Safety Inspection and Commonwealth Quality Audit Programs with stakeholder groups. On-farm workshops on topics identified in need assessments. A workshop on wash station design, use and maintenance,which included information on worker training and developing standard operating procedures was completed in September 2017 and co-hosted by MDAR and CISA. A workshop on labor management and training focused on food safety practices is scheduled for March 2018, also co-hosted with MDAR and CISA. At least one additional workshop will be delivered. A field walk with the farmers involved in the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project is scheduled for next growing season. Produce an article on the importance of food safety awareness and practices for small farmers to be disseminated through UMass' Vegetable Notes newsletter and the newsletters of our collaborating organizations. In collaboration with the University of Vermont Extension, we are currently conducting a grower survey of farm water use. The survey will help us learn more about both the quantity and quality of water used on farms for both pre- and post-harvest operations. Funding to do case studies on implementation of best practices around water use is currently being sought in relation to this survey. Follow up surveys will be conducted of trainees to ask whether they have implemented any practices covered at trainings and workshops on their farms, and if not, what barriers to implementation have they faced. Communication with project participants at collaborating organizations will be maintained. The UMass Food Safety for Farmers website will be continually updated as new resources and information become available.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Establish connection with NECAFS NECAFS notified of award and PD attended Northeast Region Food Safety Outreach Program Project Directors meeting. 2. Establish a network of individuals at farm advocacy and educational service agencies A representative from each of 7 collaborating organizations attended produce safety training at UMass Winter School. The group convened via conference call to discuss outreach opportunities and information sharing through organizations' websites and mailing lists. Also received update from MDAR. Group met during UMass Winter School. PD was in regular contact with advisory group members throughout year 1 via one-on-one meetings, phone calls and emails. 3. Align UMass outreach and training materials with FSMA Produce Rule PD attended a Produce Safety Alliance Train-the-Trainer and later became certified as a Lead Trainer for the PSA Grower Training curriculum, which was approved by the FDA as a means to deliver training to farm operators to satisfy section 112.22 (c) of the Produce Rule. We have adopted use of this curriculum and retired our previous GAP training course. Updates to our website include information about FSMA and Massachusetts' Produce Inspection and Commonwealth Quality Programs. Massachusetts is in the process of codifying rules regarding on-farm inspection of produce and facilities to enforce FSMA. New audit/inspection checklists are forthcoming from MDAR in keeping with these rules. In collaboration with UMass, MDAR is in the process of creating standardized templates for recordkeeping, common standardized operating procedures and farm food safety plans. These will be made available at trainings and on the UMass website when they are finalized. 4. Develop new resources UMass adopted use of the PSA Training curriculum for standardized training on FSMA and GAPs. We delivered this training at UMass' Winter School with an on-line component using Moodle software allowing students to view supporting materials, participate in pre- and post-testing, and make use of a moderated forum. Many older resources available through UMass remain relevant and available on our website, with new regulatory information provided as applicable. To support growers trying to comply with FSMA water testing requirements, collected samples from surface water and submitted them to the 4 labs in MA certified to perform EPA method 1603, as stipulated in the Rule. Created a fact sheet on water sampling, noting cost and sampling procedures specific to this test. Information presented at a workshop on water management. Collaborated with Amanda Kinchla to research sanitation protocols for small-farm washroom equipment, collecting data on retrofitted leafy greens spinners to be used to inform future research and guidance. Published articles in UMass newsletter on developing standard operating procedures, using proper technique when collecting water samples, and finding an SOP for a produce brush washer. PD provided update on Food Safety to the 2018-19 edition of the New England Vegetable Management Guide. PD worked with New Entry to develop 'A Plain Language Guide to the Food Safety Modernization Act's Produce Safety Rule', among other resources directed at small, beginning and immigrant farmers. PD reviewed and commented on all documents to ensure they were in keeping with the Rule and regulatory developments conveyed by MDAR. 5. Expand the audience for UMass food safety trainings Hosted 12 programs, reaching at least 542 people, including 148 individuals who received certification in the PSA curriculum, 80 people who attended on-farm workshops, and over 300 people who received information about how FSMA will be enforced in Massachusetts and what they need to do to comply. Conducted 3 Association of Food and Drug Officials certified PSA Grower Trainings. Evaluations were received from about 100 trainees, of whom 68% (65/96) had never attended a GAP training before and 78% (69/88) had never had a third party audit. Almost half, 47% (42/89), were beginning farmers, farming for 10 or fewer years. Based on their annual produce sales, 35% (29/82) were entirely exempt from the Produce Rule and 40% (33/82) may qualify for an exemption. Only 38 people in total responded that a buyer had ever requested any kind of food safety certification or training. Co-hosted PSA trainings with CISA and SEMAP. Gave presentations for NOFA/Mass, the New England Vegetable & Berry Growers' Association, the Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association, Berkshire Grown, Harvest New England, regional produce buyers, and the UMass Board of Public Overseers. Conducted on-farm workshop on irrigation and water management for food safety with Waltham Fields Community Farm and the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT). 6. Assess impacts of training PSA curriculum includes a standard evaluation to measure changes in knowledge and confidence. The following percentages of attendees at UMass PSA Trainings agree or strongly agree that the trainings increased their knowledge and confidence, respectively, in key produce safety areas: Introduction to Produce Safety, 86%, 89% Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training, 87%, 91% Soil Amendments, 85%, 93% Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use, 83%, 84% Agricultural Water - Production Water, 88%, 81% Agricultural Water - Postharvest Water, 91%, 86% Postharvest Handling and Sanitation, 91%, 87% How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan, 84%, 82% Surveyed trainees about confidence in meeting FSMA requirements and needs for educational workshops. Of 125 total respondents, the following aspects of FSMA were ranked as those they were least confident about implementing or the requirements they were least familiar with (of ten options): Understanding conditions for a withdrawal of qualified exemptions. Assessing agricultural water sources and establishing a microbial water quality profile . Testing water quality by approved methods at a certified laboratory. Maintaining required records The following topics were ranked as those in which they were moderately or very interested (4 or 5 on a 5-point scale): Streamlined record-keeping Developing SOPs for produce safety Wash room equipment and tools Wash station design, use, and maintenance Employee training In response to surveys and collaborator feedback, we planned two on-farm workshops: 1) water management for irrigation and food safety and 2) produce wash station design, use & maintenance, (the latter fell outside of the reporting period for year 1 and will be reported on in year 2). Survey results will inform program planning and resource development for year 2. Follow up surveys will ask trainees whether they have implemented any practices covered at trainings and workshops on their farms, and if not, what barriers to implementation they face. Additional impacts include increased numbers of inquiries to PD and collaborators asking for assistance understanding FSMA rules and making improvements. Also, one representative from a collaborating organization trained for the first time in FSMA and GAPs at UMass Winter School was recently hired to be a Produce Inspector at MDAR as part of their FSMA related staff-up. 7. Increase farmer knowledge, confidence and implementation Based on high turnout at trainings and events and positive data from evaluations in year 1, we are confident that farmer knowledge and confidence has increased as a result of this project, thereby decreasing farmers' risks for non-compliance and selling contaminated produce. The first year has been largely focused on reaching more growers with food safety information for the first time, and we will continue to try to expand the audience for this education as the UMass Produce Safety Education Program grows. In year 2, we hope to increase the focus on implementation strategies and getting more clarity about the specifics of regulatory enforcement.
Publications
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