Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of the NCR FSMA includes multiple subgroups. The Center works directly with regulators, inspectors, and outreach specialists from state departments of agriculture and health. NCR FSMA staff coordinate work with both Extension and non-profit educators who work with both growers and processors. The Centerworks with staff from regional and national groups, both governmental and non-profit organizations. Although the Center rarely works directly with growers or processors, many of the NCR FSMA partners work directly with underserved groups of growers or processors. The Center works to provide resources and support for underserved communities indirectly through equipping partners for the work (through trainings and resource development). Underserved audiences in the NCR largely include Plain clothes community producers (e.g., Amish and Mennonite), Hmong, LatinX, veteran, and indigenous producers. The Center also works to support local food producers and those with diversified farms. Changes/Problems:In January, the subcontractor for Lincoln University was changed from Cindy Borgwordt to Joshua Dunne (Dunne was hired after Borgwordt's retirement). In March, the subcontractor for Kansas State was changed from Londa Nwadike to Manreet Bhullar (in preparation for Nwadike's resignation from K-State). What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Fall professional development event- 29 people attended this 1.5-day event in Jefferson City, MO. Participants included grower educators, state inspectors, and FDA staff. The event included presentations from FDA, PSA, and MSU. The group also heard from Lincoln Univ staff and took a tour of the aquaculture facility. The annual conference was held in Burr Ridge, IL, on April 3-4. 46 people attended this event, including Extension educators/university staff, state regulators, regional/national centers staff, and USDA/FDA staff. Two graduate students attended. Seven posters were shared in the break room. The event included a tour of the IIT/IFSH research facilities on the morning of April 3. Several FSOP projects shared about their work. Participants had the option of which breakout sessions to attend. Listening sessions/webinars provide professional development for NCR partners. Held each month, the topics rotate between those at apply to educators of growers and educators of processors. The NCR FSMA PI team met for quarterly meetings, on Oct 24, Jan 26, Apr 25, and Aug 26. FSOP project directors' meeting - The in-person event was not held in the spring of 2024, due to budgets. Two fall webinars are being planned. Johnsen started the planning process for these and recruited speakers from all the regions. State Leads Meetings- Three meetings were held on Sept 20, 28, and 29. Eleven out of 12 state leads attended one. Monthly meetings for program managers, inspectors, and those in charge of inventory/outreach continued this year. New people involved in these meetings include: Wiemeyer, Meier, Heisner, and Boerboom Monthly Program Managers' meeting: 12 people from 8 states attended at least one meeting Quarterly Inspectors' meeting: 19 people from 7 states attended at least one meeting (FDA and PSA staff also attended) Monthly meeting for those involved with Inventory/Outreach: 17 people from 7 states attended at least one meeting Resources are developed and shared as part of this project. These new resources prepare partners for their jobs and can be shared with growers and processors. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The NCR FMSA newsletter is sent out monthly to the mailing list and uploaded to the website. It includes upcoming events, federal updates, highlighted resources, PSA/FSPCA trainings in the region, and updates from partners. The website is updated as necessary, with information about upcoming events, government updates, and webinar topics. During the year, www.ncrfsma.org had 4654 visits, from 3281 unique visitors. People viewed the website from all 12 NCR states. There were 6806 unique pageviews, and the most commonly visited page was the NCFSEN page. Of the 950 unique downloads, the most popular downloads were several NCFSEN canning resources, the annual conference agendas, and the pre-harvest training guide. Posts are made to social media throughout the week. The social media account has 205 followers. Shaw, Johnsen, and Tocco all attended the NASDA Produce Safety Consortium in November, in St. Louis. Shaw attended the Southern Center's conferences in Jan and July. Tocco and Chaves attended the NECAFS conference in Jan, in Maine. The NCR also paid for Coleman to attend the NECAFS conference, as she prepared to submit an FSOP proposal for another round of funding. Johnsen attended the WRCEFS meeting in HI. While the PI team did not attend state-specific produce meetings, our state leads and other partners were involved in those events. Resources that were developed by NCR partners in 2018 and new resources from the Clearinghouse are shared most months in the newsletter. New Resource Development: Objective 3 We committed to creating 12 new resources during the grant cycle. Six were completed by the end of Year 2. Task 3.1 Conduct focused meetings with new partners/identify needs Meetings/conversations/email correspondence that were held and resources that were developed: Buyers' guide- need identified in Year 2 Water resource- conversation between Kansas and Missouri educators Infographics- conversation with MO educator around growers Pender works with Contact list- email conversation with Franklin, after her discussions with Missouri regulators Need to update documents is ongoing. State legislatures pass new laws concerning cottage food laws frequently, and the NCR documents on fermented foods; jams and jellies; frozen and dehydrated foods; and pickled vegetables need to be updated. Changes to the water regulations necessitate changes to multiple documents. NCR FSMA resources that were created under previous rounds of funding needed to be updated to meet Iowa State University's new digital accessibility standards. Task 3.2 Identify needed resources/formats 1. Buyers' guide 2. Water resource 3. Infographics 4. Contact list 5. Need exists after legislative changes and changes to the FDA water regulations 6. Updates were needed to comply with ISU's digital accessibility requirements Task 3.3 Research at least five websites to find existing resources (per resource) Resources were not found. Confirmed via emails to partners. Updates were needed to #5 and #6. Task 3.4 Develop or modify materials to meet identified needs Buyers' guide- met with planning team on Nov. 16. Work was finalized and posted to existing NECAFS' website Water resource- first draft submitted in early October. Final resource posted to the website in December Infographics- first infographic created in Sept. Final versions of all three were finished in the spring Contact list- created in Oct Cottage food documents are updated each spring, as legislative sessions end. Documents were updated to reflect current water regulations. Documents were updated starting last fall. Task 3.5 Review and make modificiations to peer-reviewed food safety materials. The creators of many of these resources shared during a webinar about the new resource. The creators had a chance to share the reasoning behind the resource, and stakeholders had an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback. When these resources were submitted to the Clearinghouse, some authors chose not to engage in the peer review process because they had already consulted other educators. While the resources may not have the "peer reviewed" icon on them, multiple people offered feedback on the document before it was finalized. At the annual conference, attendees were asked to fill out an evaluation form about the resources as a set. Three people offered written feedback. One additional Extension educator offered specific feedback on a resource still in development. Task 3.6 Dissemination of resources, in at least two ways each New resources are highlighted in the newsletter and shared on social media. Creators of the new resources are invited to share at webinars, and documents were displayed at the 2024 AC. these resources are share don the NECAFS Clearinghouse. the most frequently accessed of the new resources are Blessing Boxes (122 views); infographics (59 views); produce safety contacts (43 views); and the NCFSEN website (25 views). Evaluation: hold follow-up meetings to determine is needs were met. These resources were shared during webinars and reviewed during the annual conference, so individual follow-up meetings for each resources were not held. Four resources were developed during Year 1 of this project. Two resources were developed during Year 2. The final six resources were completed in Year 3. Webinars: Average attendance for the webinars: 33 people Number of people who attended at least one session: 115, from all 12 states. Includes grower educators, processor educators, non-profit staff, and regulators. Average number of sessions people attended: 3 Sept 21- Claire Murphy, WSU Assistant Professor, spoke on "Building and Implementing Environmental Monitoring Programs" Oct 19- Anneliese Kerr from Springfield Community Gardens and Jeff Mears from the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council presented about FSOP awards, and Enderton presented on an evaluation project Nov 16- Don Stoeckel, Annalisa Hultberg, and Tocco spoke about the water assessment tool they are developing Jan 18- three growers from a covered farm spoke about their experience with inspections/audits Feb 15- Chaves spoke about microbiological testing Mar 21- Stoeckel, from the PSA, spoke about the resource he developed with NCR funding about water quality. An informal communications survey was conducted Apr 18- Betty Feng, Autumn Stoll, and Pei Liu presented on their FSOP awards May 16- Anna Loewald, from NECAFS, shared about their animal decision tool June 20- Krishnamurthy spoke about processing low moisture foods July 18- Job Ubbink spoke about water meters for home canning use, and Enderton and Joanna Kahvedjian spoke about inspection results they compiled Aug 15- Several members of the PI team and state leads shared what they were most proud of during the past three years. Participants also participated in a feedback board by sharing what they enjoyed about being part of the Center and how the Center has helped their work What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A no-cost extension request was submitted this past summer, as it is anticipated that there will be a small amount of funds that haven't been spent. In the original grant application, the proposal was to offer PD on the FDA's water rules, when the rules were finalized. This didn't occur until May 2024. A two-day event in Michigan is planned for this fall for educators who work with growers. The NCR would like to subsidize the cost of this event using remaining funds under the no cost extension. Educators who work with processors will also need PD this fall. The FSPCA recently updated its curriculum and created a version 2.0. Refresher training will be required for current trainers. The FSPCA is offering these, and the NCR would like to offer stipends to trainers from the region to attend.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Expand the Network Task 1.1 Identify new partners 1.1.1 Underserved groups The NCR paid for AFDO certificates for a PSA training for local growers in WI, held in Jan. 1.1.2 Diversified farms Liz Graznak from Happy Hollow Farm presented at the fall PD. Benson, Manfull and Mabry from Featherstone Farm spoke at Jan webinar. 1.1.3 HBCU Fall PD was held at Lincoln University (MO). Dr. LaVergne, dean of the College of Ag, spoke about what it means to be an HBCU and an 1890s land grant university 1.1.4 Educators Welcomed two new educators to the network: Dunne, Lincoln Univ processing educator, and Lopez, ISU processing educator Task 1.2 Regulators Welcomed two new regulators: MO inspector, Moore, and NE program manager, Heisner. Task 1.3 Database Aug 31, 2023: 230 people on mailing list Aug 31, 2024: 235 people Task 1.4 Track participation- 50% of partners participating goal 171 people attended at least one meeting during the year, which is 73% of the mailing list Task 1.5 3 meetings with Stakeholder Feedback Boards Nov 16- produce buyers from local grocery store chains to get feedback on the buyers' guide website May 10- 9 people discussed the results of the inspection data that Enderton and Kahvedjian compiled from 4 NCR states who conduct their own farm inspections Aug 15- feedback was requested from the participants in the August webinar. They shared what they appreciated most from being involved in the Center and how the Center has helped their work. 20 people attended the webinar. Task 1.6 Communication survey An informal communication survey was conducted during the Mar 21 webinar, and 23 responses were received. Link was sent in Apr newsletter, and 3 additional people filled out the online version. Results were posted to the website. Task 1.7 Communication Strategy 1.7.1 Communication plans with state leads Plans were briefly discussed during the state leads' meetings (state leads attended on Sept 20, 28, or 29) 1.7.2 National produce safety network (calls organized by FDA) NCR staff promoted and attended calls on Oct 26; Jan 25; Apr 25; and July 25 1.7.3 Collaborate with lead, regional, tribal, sprout, and local foods centers LRCC/regional centers meetings- Oct 23, Mar 20, Apr 19; May 23; June 21; and July 25 LFSC steering committee- Johnsen on Jan 10 (virtual); May 16 (in-person) NASDA Consortium, Nov- Shaw, Tocco, and Johnsen Staff from the Southern Center, WRCEFS, NECAFS, LFSC, and IFAI spoke at the AC Objective 2: Collaborate with and Support the Network Task 2.1 Collaboration Plan and Strategy 2.1.1 Participate in 3 project collaborations The NCR coordinated review of a resource submitted to the Produce Safety Clearinghouse. 3 partners received stipends for their expertise Enderton led 2 research projects to disseminate information about evaluation of PSA grower trainings. One worked with regional centers and the PSA to analyze knowledge assessment results and was published in April. The second included the PSA and educators from Purdue, TX Tech, and the Univ of MN. It used several datasets to compare remote delivery and in-person trainings. It was published in May. Expanded a Michigan-based farmworker texting service to the entire region in Apr. The program provides farm workers and their employers with one weekly Produce Safety text 2.1.2 4 collaboration events Johnsen assisted with a MN PSA training on Mar 7 16 annual conference attendees toured the IFSH/IIT facilities on Apr 3 Provided supplies for the Detroit Urban Farmers to hold trainings on constructing handwashing sinks and using sanitizers in June Water Rules Book Club, hosted by Michigan State staff, in June, July, and Aug via Zoom Task 2.2 4 collaborations with HBCUs, Community-based, Produce Associations Fall PD event was held at Lincoln Univ. 5 ISFOP (an outreach program Lincoln uses to reach under-served growers) educators attended and 3 presented. Tocco led a full-day produce safety risk assessment workshop on Oct 2 with ISFOP educators Organized FDA Cleaning and Sanitizing Workshops, with representatives from MI, IN, WI, and FDA. The training planned for IN was cancelled. The WI event, held in collaboration with the Hunger Task Force, was held Mar 5 Provided a stipend for Cortes (MN regulator) to attend IAFP Provided funds to MIFFS for outreach to Spanish-speaking growers 2.2.1 Assist with training 90 growers/processors Accomplished in Years 1 and 2 2.2.2 Assist 5 trainers Financial stipends for 4 people to attend the fall PD- Buskirk, Holmes, Monroe, and Stull Stipends for Byers to attend the NASDA Consortium and the AC, and for Stull to attend the AC Task 2.3 Support FSOP Awardees 2.3.1 Support FSOP awardees Congratulatory emails were sent to new awardees in Oct Johnsen met with Arnold and Stolte-Carroll from OSU on Nov 21, and with Miller from the Oneida Nation on Dec 8 2.3.2 100% of awardees presenting at regional or national FSOP event Four presented during the AC; 4 others shared during NCR webinars; and 1 presented at Sept webinar. Task 2.4 2 collaboration events Fall PD event- 29 people attended in Jeff City, MO. Held Oct 3-4 at Lincoln Univ Annual Conference- 46 people attended in Burr Ridge, IL. Held Apr 3-4 Details are shared in the professional development section of this report. Task 2.5 Attend 4 conferences held by partners Southern Center (Jan and July)- Shaw NECAFS (Jan)- Tocco and Chaves WRCEFS (May)- Johnsen Evaluation Develop NCR FSMA Center Impact Book Booklet was distributed at the AC and posted to the website. The Impact Book highlights the work the Center does connecting partners and how funds have been utilized by states. It also includes events, new resources, and evaluation projects. Objective 3: Create New Resources Tasks 3.1 through 3.6 Hold meeting, identify needs; search for resources; develop, review, and disseminate new resources. Committed to creating 12 new resources during the three years of the grant. Six were completed during Years 1 and 2. Details on these resources are included in the Dissemination section. New resources worked on: Buyers' Guide- completed work. NECAFS' website has been updated to include NCR states. Water resource- posted in Dec Infographics- posted in July Contact list- posted in Oct Factsheets completed during previous grant cycles were updated to reflect new state laws about cottage foods and to reflect changes to the water rules Resources created during previous grant cycles are now all digitally accessible Objective 4: Professional Development Task 4.1 Update resource list. Share 6 resources/year Resources from the Clearinghouse and NCR resources from previous rounds of funding are highlighted in most newsletters. New resources from partners and from the NCR are included as they are developed. Resources that the NCR funds are discussed at webinar. Task 4.2 Deliver training for growers Fillius and former PI Hannan presented at a webinar about concerns specific to FSMA when utilizing high tunnels in the Midwest. Event was coordinated by the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association on Apr 30 Task 4.3 Deliver training for processors Chaves led one of the NDSU Farm to Fork webinars Task 4.4 3 trainings for educators NCR monthly webinars in Sept, Nov, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, and July Chaves led a workshop on Listeria in June. Krishnamurthy led a workshop on low acid and acidified food in July Task 4.5 Provide technical assistance to network by answering 150 questions or referring questioners to other experts NCR staff answer questions or refer people to experts as requests are received. Number is not tracked. The NCR prepared educators and regulators to better provide TA to their growers/processors. Evaluation Evaluation surveys were conducted at in-person events (fall PD and AC). 4 stakeholder interviews were held. More were invited but chose not to participate
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Narine, L., Enderton, A., Benge, M., Bihn, E., Brown, S., Kovacevic, J., Newbold, E., Schneider, K., & Shaw, A. (2024). Produce safety alliance grower training knowledge assessment results. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 5(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v5i3.473
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Enderton, A., Johnsen, E., Shaw, A., Deering, A., & Omolo, M. (2024). Comparing the effectiveness of delivery style in produce safety training for growers. Journal of Food Science, 112. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.17100
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of the NCR FSMA includes multiple subgroups. The Center works directly with regulators, inspectors, and outreach specialists from state departments of agriculture and health. NCR FSMA staff coordinate work with both Extension and non-profit educators who work with growers and processors. Staff from community-based organizations who work with growers/processors are another group that engages with the Center. The Center works with staff from regional and national groups, both governmental and non-profit organizations. Although the Center rarely works directly with growers or processors, many of the NCR FSMA partners work directly with underserved groups of growers or processors. The Center works to provide resources and support for underserved communities indirectly through equipping partners for the work (through trainings and resource development). Underserved audiences in the NCRinclude Plain community (e.g., Amish and Mennonite), Hmong, LatinX, veteran, and indigenous producers. The Center also works to support local food producers and those with diversified farms. Changes/Problems:The evaluators from each regional center are collaborating to design a new evaluation protocol going forward. The one-year follow-up survey will no longer be sent to PSA participants in the region. The small number of new responses was not changing the overall results (because more people took the PSA training in previous years). What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Fall professional development event- October 4-5, 2022. Thirty-three Produce Safety Rule educators, regulators, and inspectors gathered in Vincennes, IN for a two-day event. The event included lectures, hands-on activities, and farm tours (Purdue Agricultural Center & Melon Acres). People from 9 NCR states, 1 state outside the region, and FDA staff attended. People new to the NCR network: Claire Zabel, and MIProduce Safety Technicians- Breanna Hanula, Morgan Anderson, Hannah Wright, and Nick Babcock. Listening sessions/webinars provide professional development for NCR partners. Topics are rotated between those geared towards educators of growers and educators of processors. Some months do not have a scheduled speaker, to encourage sharing between partners. Sept. 15- discussion and sharing time with partners Oct20- Kathir Krishnamurthy spoke about juice processing Nov17- Loren Nordgren spoke about reducing friction points to encourage people to make changes Jan19- Shannon Coleman and Lisa Bates spoke about their mini-grant project which works with small processors in Iowa Feb16- Annie Fitzgerald from NECAFS spoke about the online Toolkit for small processors Apr20- Dan Fillius facilitated a discussion about working with non-covered growers May 18- Open discussion and question time June 15- Kathir Krishnamurthy spoke about fermentation Aug17- 1 FSOP awardee, 1 new resource, and 1 evaluation presentation Average attendance for the meetings: 29 Number of people who attended at least one session: 83 Average number of sessions people attended: 2.7 NCR FSMA annual conference- March 15-16, 2023, in Eau Claire, WI. 50 educators, regulators, and community organizations staff gathered in Wisconsin for 2-day event. 16 people attended a farm tour at Superior Fresh, an aquaponics facility nearby. During the conference, attendees heard from USDA and FDA staff, other regional centers, and national organizations. Each state was invited to share an update and most gave a report on farms and processors. The 1st day ended with a discussion of how to best work with under-served groups. On Day 2, the group broke into three groups (regulators, educators of processors, and educators of growers) for specific professional development. The conference ended with speakers from the WIginseng and cranberry industries. At least 1 person from 11 NCR states attended, and 3 states outside region. The event also included a poster session, networking time, and lightning round talks. The NCR FSMA PI team met for quarterly meetings, sometimes as a full group and other times in groups focusing on growing or processing. Sept1: processingteam Sept12: growing team Jan9: full team Apr14: processing team Apr25: growing team July 13: full team The LRCC coordinated the FSOP project directors' meeting May 31 and June 1, 2023, in Tampa. Johnsen presented for the NCR. 8 other project directorspresented (6 in-person reports, 1 video recording, and 1 poster). All the projects submitted abstracts for the program book. A summary of the brainstorming sessions was shared. One FSOP awardee presented at a listening session/webinar on Aug. 17. Others are scheduled to speak in Oct Congratulatory emails were sent out to new FSOP awardees in the fall of 2022. Awardees who had not previously been connected to the NCR FSMA were contacted individually. Johnsen met with Barb Ingham from the Univof WI, staff from the Springfield Community Gardens, and Jessica Fish at the Cankdeska Cikana Community College. Further support was provided by email and regularly scheduled meetings. Letters of support were written for FSOP applicants who requested one. State Leads Meetings- The communication plans, subcontracts, and future plans were discussed at the fall state leads meeting (state leads had the choice to attend one of the Oct18, Oct31, or Nov3 meetings). Monthly meetings for program managers, inspectors, and those in charge of inventory/outreach continued this year. New people involved in these meetings include: Kristine Gasperic and Morgan Roddy (both from the IN Dept of Health) attended their first meeting to discuss creating new water resources on Sept9 Kendra Mitchell and Troy Wieberg (both from the MO Dept of Ag) attended the fall PD Ben Marshall, formerly from the MO Dept of Ag, began a new job with FDA and attended the fall PD event New FDA staff, Liliya Bibiy, attended the annual conference New department of ag staff, Angie Oberg (ND) and Nicole Baysal (MN), started attending program manager meetings in the spring. Ben Hopkins (KS) attended his first inventory meeting in July. Moriah Lukomski (MI) and Lisa Wipfli (WI) began attending meetings in the summer Program Managers: 17 people from 10 states attended at least one meeting Inspectors: 31 people from 7 states attended at least one meeting Inventory/Outreach: 20 people from 9 states attended at least one meeting Johnsen helped with two remote PSA trainings held by MN on Feb. 14 &15 and March 9.A total of 33 growers at the trainings received certificates.She also helped facilitate a remote PSA training led by SD on June 20 and 21 and July 12.12 growers received certificates. New Resource Development: Objective 3 Task 3.1 Conduct at least twelve focused meetings with new partners/identify needs Meetings that were held and resources that were developed: a need for a resource for outdoor food pantries was discussed at a meeting organized by NCFSEN and formalized through emails between partners. A meeting between Bear Butte staff (in SD) and Johnsen was held. The Inventory/Outreach meeting happens most months Email communication between people interested in creating a buyers' guide, similar to what was created in the Northeast region. Task 3.2 Identify at least twelve needed resources;/formats 1. Need for a resource for outdoor food pantries 2. need for a podcast that growers/processors could listen to while accomplishing other chores 3. The Inventory/Outreach group identified a need for a comprehensive list of databases to search to find new farms for their states' farm inventories. 4. Need for a region-specific buyers' guide was identified Task 3.3 Research at least five websites to find existing resoruces per resource need Needed resources were searched for and not found for 1, 2, and 4 3) FDA had started a list of these databases Task 3.4 Develop or modify at least twelve new materials to meet identified needs Resource for outdoor food pantries was developed by Londa Nwadike; reviewed by Johnsen, Karen Blakeslee, and Shannon Coleman. Bear Butte staff and Rhoda Burrow began work on podcast series in February. Contacted Kristin Esch for FDA's list. It was shared with inventory group. Planning meetings were held Apr. 12 and June 22. Task 3.5 Review and make modifications to at least twelve peer-reviewed food safety materials Resource for outdoor food pantries was formatted and edited by Iowa State University staff (and funded by the NCR FSMA) First three podcasts of the series were posted to the Bear Butte Gardens website (https://bearbuttegardens.com/news/MountainTimeAlmanacPodcast/index.html) in July Inventory group had two additions to suggest for the FDA list. These databases were shared with Esch. Still in progress Task 3.6 Disseminateat least twelve resources, in at least two ways each Outdoor pantry was shared on NCR website and social media, and on the Clearinghouse. Podcasts were publicized in the NCR website and social media. Creators spoke during an NCR listening session/webinar. FDA will disseminate Will be disseminated when completed Evaluation Hold at least five follow-up meetings to determine if needs were met.Will be held next year. Four resources were developed during Year 1. Two resources were developed during the past year. Six additional resources (including the Buyers' Guide currently being worked on) will be completed next year How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The NCR FMSA newsletter is sent out monthly to the mailing list and uploaded to the website. It includes upcoming events, federal updates, highlighted resources, PSA/FSPCA trainings in the region, and updates from partners. The website is updated as necessary, with information about upcoming events, government updates, and webinar topics. During the year, www.ncrfsma.org had 5,410 visits, from 3,833 unique visitors. Of the 1,161 unique downloads, the four most popular downloads were canning resources from the NCFSEN page of the website. Posts are made to social media throughout the week. The social media account has 194 followers. Shaw and Johnsen both attended the NASDA Produce Safety Consortium (Dec), where they displayed a poster about the long-term PSA evaluation interview project. Johnsen also delivered a short update at the Consortium. Shaw attended the Southern Center's (January) and Western Center's (May) annual conferences, and Johnsen attended the NECAFS annual conference (January). The work of the NCR FSMA was shared through brief reports/posters. Johnsen, Chaves, and Tocco attended the FSOP national projector directors' meeting in Tampa (May-June). Project updates were shared through posters and presentations. Resources that were developed by NCR partners in 2018 and new resources from the Clearinghouse are shared each month in the newsletter. Additional resoruces are shared with the network through the newsletter, special emails, and social media. Specific resources of note include: The CDC Annual Reports on Foodborne Illness Source Attribution Estimates- Dec. newsletter NECAFS buyers' guide- April newsletter Resources on hydroponics and aquaponcis- May newsletter Food and Agriculture Organization's Risk Communication Applied for Food Safety Handbooks- July social media What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to finish the final third of our objectives and create the NCR Impact Book. We intend to host a fall professional development event for those who work with the Produce Safety Rule in October. We are beginning to plan the 2024 NCR FSMA annual conference. We intend to continue our monthly listening sessions/webinars and meetings for inspectors, program managers, and those in charge of inventory/outreach. Our plans include finishing the Buyers' Guide and developing the last five new resources. We intend to hold evaluation meetings for those new resources. We will continue working with the other regional centers and the lead center, and also collaborating with government and national organizations. We will offer more collaboration events and education opportunities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Expand the Network Task 1.1 Identify new partners 1.1.1 Underserved communities Financial support was provided for a remote, Spanish-language PSA, held by MI and MN 1.1.2 Diversified farms Superior Fresh hosted farm tour before the AC 1.1.3 HBCU Planning to hold the fall 2023 professional development event at Lincoln University 1.1.4 Educators New produce safety technicians from MI and new PSA trainer from IA attended fall PD Task 1.2 3 new partnerships- state/federal regulators New staff from FDA, IN, KS, MN, MO, ND, and WI attended virtual regulator meetings Task 1.3 Update database Mailing list as of Sept. 1, 2022- 207 people On Aug. 31, 2023- 230 people Task 1.4 Track participation in NCR FSMA events, with a goal of at least 50% of partners participating 117 people (of the 230 on the mailing list=51%) attended at least one meeting. All 12 states are represented Task 1.5 3 meetings/year with Stakeholder Feedback Boards Annual conference (AC) planning team- met regularly from Nov through Mar to plan and in April to evaluate the conference Meetings to plan the fall PD event began in April State leads met virtually in the fall Task 1.6 3 communication surveys A PD survey was open during Dec. While only a handful of people responded, several ideas for webinars/events were suggested Task 1.7Communication Strategy Communication strategies were discussed at quarterly PI meetings and evaluated as part of the Dec. communication survey.When a request was made for two-page reports, Enderton focused on providing these shorter evaluation documents. Newsletters are sent monthly, and website is updated as needed 1.7.1 Produce safety network Communication plans were discussed at the fall state leads meeting 1.7.2 National produce safety network Calls on Oct. 27, Jan. 26, April 27, and July 27 were promoted. Johnsen, Shaw, and Tocco participated in these discussions with FDA staff 1.7.3 Lead, regional, tribal, sprout, and local foods Shaw, Enderton, and Johnsen: LRCC meetings on Sept. 19, Oct. 21, Dec. 5, Feb. 21, Mar. 20, Apr. 24, and May 23. Evaluators from 4 regional centers met to discuss joint evaluation projects. They are currently collaborating on a manuscript combining knowledge assessment data from the four regions. They also began conversations with the PSA on how to improve evaluation of the course in the future. Johnsen: LFSC steering committee meetings, virtually Dec. 6 and in-person April 27 Objective 2: Collaborate with and Support the Network Task 2.1 Collaboration Plan and Strategy 2.1.1 3 project collaborations Financial support provided to MSU Extension to mail newsletters to Plain growers 2.1.2 12 collaboration events Meetings are held for program managers; inspectors; and those in charge of outreach/inventory. Ongoing groups provide support for employees of the state departments of agriculture/health Several listening session/webinars were designed to promote collaboration and discussion between NCR partners. These sessions occurred in Sept and May Chaves led a GMPs course in May. 13 people attended from 6 states Krishnamurthy led a validation workshop on July 13. 7 people from 5 states attended SDSU offered a remote training in June. Fillius taught 1 module Task 2.2 12 collaborations with HBCUs, Community-based, Produce Associations NCR staff connected Will Seeley (IFAI) with Iowa trainer Andre Salazar, to teach at a PSA training, held in MN, in Jan. Will Seeley (IFAI) attended an inventory meeting on Nov. 18, to share ideas for working with tribal communities Resources and events were shared through newsletters and websites from partners, including: AFDO, Center for Produce Safety, Food Safety Magazine, FSPCA, IAFP, International Sprouts Association, NCFSEN, and PSA MIFFS utilized the NCR subcontract to provide technical assistance to immigrant growers and a Group GAP program for black farmers 2.2.1 Assist with events where 90 growers/processors trained 45 growers at PSA trainings supported by Johnsen in MN and SD NCR continues to help connect PSA trainers around the region, to help find sustainable ways to ensure access to PSA trainings for growers in their states 2.2.2 Assist 5 trainers 4 educators utilized PD funds: Katelynn Stull- fall PD Carmen Holmes- annual conference Morrine Omolo- Minnesota-based training Tocco- IAFP Task 2.3 Support FSOP Grant Awardees 2.3.1 Support FSOP awardees Some individual meetings were held and more support was provided by email. FSOP project directors' meeting was organized by the LRCC 2.3.2 100% of awardees presenting at regional or national FSOP event 1 awardee presented at AC, and 8 shared (presentations or posters) at project directors' meeting 1 presented at an Aug. webinar, and 2 more are scheduled for Oct. Task 2.4 2 collaboration events Fall PD event annual conference Task 2.5 4 partner conferences Shaw and Johnsen: NASDA Consortium Shaw: Southern Center's and Western Center's AC Johnsen: NECAFS' AC Evaluation Develop NCR FSMA Center Impact Book Yearly evaluation report was released in Feb. The impact book will be created in Year 3 Objective 3: Create New Resources Tasks 3.1 through 3.6 Hold meeting, identify needs; search for resources; develop, review, and disseminate new resources. Evaluate during 5 meetings New resources worked on: outdoor food pantries fact sheet- posted to Clearinghouse podcast created by Bear Butte farm and SD Extension educator- posted to their website inventory group's list of databases to search for new farms- found FDA's list of databases buyers' guide- in progress Objective 4: Professional Development Task 4.1 Update resource list. Share 6 resources/year Two resources from the Produce Safety Clearinghouse are shared most months in the newsletter- one geared towards processor educators and one towards grower educators. Additional resources were shared as needed One resource developed by NCR partners during the first iteration of the grant is highlighted in each newsletter Task 4.2 Deliver 3 new trainings for growers Provided financial support for: Urban grower workshop by MSU Veterans training in MO Indigenous growers' workshops in SD Task 4.3 Deliver 3 new trainings for processors Chaves led a presentation on processing safety for the NDSU Field to Fork webinar series Task4.4 3 new trainings for educators Listening sessions/webinars are held during most months. 4 of the sessiosn were geared towards educators or processors- Oct, Jan, Feb, and June 2 sessions (Nov and April) were geared towards educators of growers Task 4.5 Provide TA to network by answering 150 questions or referring questioners to other expoerts. NCR FSMA staff answer questions or refer people to experts as requests are received. Number is not tracked. Evaluation Evaluation surveys at all events (fall PD, processing webinars, AC) 7 stakeholder interviews were conducted Annual PSA Grower Training follow-up survey conducted in Jan and Feb 2023 2-page reports using PSA Evaluation data were created for six NCR states which had sufficient data.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Produce Safety Alliance Training: Long-Term Behavioral Change Study in the North Central Region
by Arlene Enderton, Angela M. Shaw, Alexander Krob, Kylie Plagakis, Ellen Johnsen, Anirudh Naig, and Morrine Omolo
Food Protection Trends, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 316-328, Jul 2023
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of the NCR FSMA includes multiple subgroups. The Center works directly with regulators, inspectors, and outreach specialists from state departments of agriculture and health. NCR FSMA staff coordinate work with Extension and non-profit educators who work with both growers and processors. Staff from community-based organizations who work with growers/processors are another group that engages with the Center. The Centerworks with staff from regional and national groups, both governmental and non-profit organizations. Although the Center rarely works directly with growers or processors, many of the NCR FSMA partners work directly with underserved groups of growers or processors. The Center staff work to provide resources and support for underserved communities indirectly through equipping partners for the work (through trainings and resource development). Underserved audiences in the NCR largely include Plain clothes community producers (e.g., Amish and Mennonite), Hmong, LatinX, veteran, refugee, and indigenous producers. The Center also works to support local food producers and those with diversified farms. NCR FSMA staff intentionally reached out to organizations who work with under-served growers. In the fall 2021, they met with staff at Michigan Food and Farming Systems, Advocates for Urban Agriculture, and Agriculture Utilization Research Institute and discussed ways the NCR FSMA could financially support their work with underserved communities. Through the agreement that is part of the grant application, the NCR FSMA provided funding for MIFFS. Staff from a diversified farm, Eighty Acres Farm, presented at the 2022 annual conference, along with Sanja Ilic. NCR FSMA staff began a new partnership created with an HBCU when Robert Korir from Central State University began attending NCR FSMA meetings in October 2021. NCR FSMA staff created new partnerships with food safety educators and regulators. When Andre Salazar began working for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in fall 2021, NCR FSMA staff helped him connect with remote trainings offered by Kansas and Missouri, so he could observe multiple training styles before he taught the Produce Safety Alliance course. Morrine Omolo is a new researcher at University of Minnesota and has become engaged within the no-cost extension project long-term behavioral change project and was a member of the annual conference planning committee. Craig Hedberg is a professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at University of Minnesota and attended several meetings in the first year of the NCR FSMA. Staff were able to re-engage him in the NCR FSMA's activities, and he presented at the 2022 Annual NCR FSMA annual conference in March. Katelynn Stull, who previously worked for the Southern Center/Lead Coordination Center, started a new job as an Extension Educator in Kansas, and the NCR FSMA helped connect her with others in the region. Summer through fall 2021: Jamie Good, the North Dakota contact, moved to a new job. Kristine Kostuck and Kara Huff took responsible for PSR work in the state. NCR FSMA staff helped connect them with staff in other states who were also responsible for CAP reporting. They attend the inventory and program managers' meetings. Summer 2022: When Eastlyn Wright began working for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Emily Herbst started at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the NCR FSMA Center helped both of them connect with similar staff in other states. The NCR FSMA staff organized a meeting for state program managers, to discuss their unique concerns in January 2022. The group decided to meet monthly for support and discussion. Ben Marshall transitioned from the Missouri Department of Agriculture to FDA, and the NCR FSMA Center started working with him in his new capacity. Changes/Problems: Angela Shaw resigned from Iowa State University and is now employed at Texas Tech University. Ellen Johnsen became the new PI of the project on August 1, and Angela Shaw moved to the co-PI role, through a subcontract. The evaluator does not plan to continue the Produce Safety Alliance grower training pre- and post- knowledge assessments, but will continue the one-year follow-up survey. The ongoing pandemic necessitated most of the planned programming to happen virtually. The NCR FSMA staff are optimistic that more in-person events will happen in the next year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Annual conference (March 1 and 3, 2022) Planning for another virtual conference began in September 2021. 94 people attended at least part of the 2022 virtual annual conference. FDA, USDA, and university staff presented. Regional centers, PSA, FSPCA, NASDA, USDA GAPs, LFSC, and IFAI staff gave updates. The conference was held through Zoom. It included 9.5 hours of presentations, informal networking time, game time, and a virtual poster session. Eight people submitted posters/videos for the virtual poster session. An estimated 20 people viewed the posters and filled out the form for their "door prize." Planning for the 2023 in-person conference began in the summer of 2022. Listening sessions (monthly September 2021 through August 2022). The ones that are professional development listening sessions are bolded on this list of all the monthly meetings: Sep Wrap up 2.0 objectives and introduction to the 3.0 grant Oct Billy Mitchell and Anita Andalja on their new resources from the LFSC and NYFC Nov Impacts and how to measure (knowledge assessment; yearly supervisor training) Dec Plain Growers Education by Luke LaBorde Year 2022 Jan Mini-grant presentations by Barb Ingham and Phil Tocco Feb North Central Regional Wildlife working group by James DeDecker Mar Mini grant presentation by Jordan DeVries April Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment by Byron Chaves May Packaging Options by Ed Treacy and Jeff Brandenburg June Novel Processing Techniques by Kathir Krishnamurthy July Biosolids presentation by Kristin Esch and Laura Boczek Aug Developing Food Safety Plans for Processors by Byron Chaves Collaboration Events Sept 17, 2021 Inventory/Data staff joint meeting with FDA staff. FDA staff attended to be a resource as partners from six states worked collaboratively on CAP grant reports. 12 people attended. Dec 2021 Water Rules Discussion meeting. FDA staff attended and participants were able to ask questions about the proposed Subpart E rule. 68 people attended Jan 2022 Water Rules Discussion meeting #2. 54 people attended. Feb 2022. Training for PSR inspectors with Michigan police officer on situational awareness and de-escalation training. 35 people attended. Aug 2022- Virtual discussion on the proposed compliance dates for pre-harvest water rules. 36 people attended. In Aug 2022, the NCR FSMA organized a joint video call for partners and staff from the EPA and FDA to discuss hydrogen peroxide and other sanitizer use. Shaw provided assistance to Alabama Cooperative Extension in summer 2022 to adapt a piloted Cleaning and Sanitizer Workshop into a hands-on field day for Alabama produce growers. Promoted events held by other groups: Promoted Water Discussions held by the FDA, NASDA & MDARD in Feb. 2022. Promoted the FDA Produce Safety Network virtual meetings that occur once per quarter with Kristin Esch and other FDA staff. Provided financial assistance for events and trainers: Collaborated with Shakara Tyler from the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund and helped connect Tyler with a remote Produce Safety Alliance training and an in-person PSA Train-the-Trainer. The NCR FSMA provided financial support for Tyler to attend the Train-the-Trainer event. Morrine Omolo attended a virtual training with funding from the NCR FSMA. Don Stoeckel attended the national FSOP meeting so all researchers from that project could present about their work. NCR staff provided assistance for joint, remote trainings. 104 growers from six states were trained. For growers in Kansas and Missouri 11 growers Oct/Nov. '21 17 grower Jan '22 13 growers March '22 6 growers April '22 6 growers June '22 For growers in IA, NE, ND, and SD 17 growers Dec '21 11 growers Feb. '22 23 growers April '22 Due to a low number of registrations, a planned event around the water assessment tool, to be held in Indiana, was cancelled. These water activities will be incorporated into the fall Kick-Off Event, also to be held in Indiana, in the fall of 2022. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The NCR FSMA website has evaluations reports, reports from the PSA pre- and post-knowledge assessment results, and follow-up survey results reports. Seven success stories from the NCR FSMA and its partners were written about the work of the NCR FSMA and its partners this year. There are 24 total success stories shared on the website. During the year, there were 6833 unique page views by 2621 unique visitors to the NCR FSMA website. There were 680 unique downloads. The most commonly downloaded documents were the resources for safe home canning. The monthly newsletter is sent to approximately 200 people. Information was shared on the NCR FSMA Facebook page throughout the year. During the niche audience meetings (fall 2021), information was shared to individual communities. Communication plans were developed for each state to ensure communication was good, based on meetings that Shaw held with each state lead. A communications survey for the entire network was developed by Enderton. The survey was sent out on June 30 and closed on August 2. Ten percent of the mailing list filled out the survey. Based on the survey, one new section of the newsletter was added- "What's New on the Produce Safety Clearinghouse."The number who preferred an electronic newsletter with a PDF attachment was slightly higher than the number who preferred an electronic newsletter with the newsletter in the body of the email, like MailChimp, so no changes to the newsletter format will be made. Nearly all respondents indicated the current time of monthly listening sessions (the third Thursday of the month at 2:00 PM, Central time) fits their schedule very well (nine respondents) or moderately well (seven). No one indicated the time does not fit their schedule at all, so those meetings will continue at the current time. Shaw attended the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance 2021 virtual annual conference on October 17. Shaw and Johnsen attended the FSMA Collaborative Forum meetings on September 23, November 22, March 9, and April 4. During these meetings, representatives across the produce safety network present their latest outcomes. Shaw and Johnsen attended meetings with the other regional centers hosted by the Lead Regional Center on September 27, October 22 and November 19, 2021 and February 16, March 22, April 22, and May 20, 2022. During these meetings, the regional centers discuss what is currently occurring within their regional centers and hold discussions on potential collaborations. Shaw and/or Johnsen also attended the regional centers' annual conferences. The Southern Center occurred on January 6, 2022. NECAFS's meeting was held January 19-21, 2022, and the Western Center met on May 4 and 5, 2022. Johnsen participated in the March 2022 National Farmers Union/Local Food Safety Collaboration steering committee meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The NCR FSMA intends to be 2/3 through the grant objectives by the end of the next reporting period. For example, the plan is to create at least one new partnership in each of the categories, hold at least three collaboration events/projects, and offer support to at least one new training for each targeted group. Staff hope to develop a total of eight new resources for targeted groups. The communication plan will be updated as necessary. The regional FSOP projects will be supported and will present at regional and national conferences. The NCR FSMA is planning an in-person annual conference in Wisconsin for 2023 and an in-person PSA grower training event (for educators and regulators) for fall 2022. Virtual training for processor educators will be offered, but the dates have not yet been set. Staff plan to provide additional in-person trainings for regulators and educators. When new educators/regulators are identified, Johnsen will reach out to them and develop new relationships. The NCR FSMA will continue working with regional FSOP recipients, including new awardees. The Center will continue to provide funding to increase access of underserved groups to trainings. Staff will implement suggested changes from the July 2022 communication survey to improve the network.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact The NCR FSMA Center (NCR) supports the national produce safety program by coordinating information within the North Central Region through communication, collaboration, education, training, technical assistance, and development of new food safety materials. Almost 200 people have attended a meeting organized by the NCR in the first year of this project. Educators who work with under-served populations have been intentionally invited to join the network; approximately 20 new partners have attended at least one meeting. Staff at ten state departments of agriculture/health meet monthly to ensure inspections are consistent across states and to share best practices for creating farm inventories. These meetings are facilitated by the NCR. Resources have been shared or developed, as necessary. Educational programs have been evaluated and found to be effective, with consistent knowledge gain at PSA Grower Trainings and 76% of growers making a change to food safety practice, infrastructure or equipment within one year of training. Annual conference attendees found all conference sessions very or moderately useful, on average. Objectives Objective 1 Expand the produce safety network within the NCR to include underserved produce industry partners and more diverse producers, processors, and educators. The NCR leadership met with staff at several new grower/processor organizations at the beginning of this grant. Growers from a diversified farm presented at the annual conference. One HBCU professor was connected with NCR resources. New educators and state regulators were welcomed to the group when they began their jobs. There were 195 people on the mailing list on Sept. 1, 2021. As of Aug. 31, 207 people are on the mailing list. As of Aug. 2022, 190 unique individuals have attended at least one meeting. This includes multiple people who are not on the mailing list. Three meetings were held with Stakeholder Feedback Boards: Tocco held a stakeholder feedback meeting in the fall of 2021. Shaw met with the annual conference planning team several times during the winter. Shaw conducted a survey to determine the processor educator needs in November 2021. It was concluded from this survey that processor educators did not have immediate needs for education but wanted to continue to be on listserv in case needs arose. A communications survey for the entire network was developed by Enderton. The survey was sent out on June 30 and closed on Aug. 2. Ten percent of the mailing list filled out the survey. Several changes were made based on the results. Shaw met with state leads individually during Sept and Oct. She developed a communication plan for each state following the meetings. Shaw and Johnsen attended conferences organized by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance, FSMA Collaborative Forum, National Farmers Union/Local Food Safety Collaborative, the Lead Regional Center, and the other regional centers. Objective 2: Collaborate with and support the NCR produce safety network partners The NCR held five collaboration events, including virtual meetings with FDA staff, de-escalation training, and meetings to discuss the water rules. The Center worked with MDARD, FDA, and NASDA; Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund; and EPA to promote events. Johnsen assisted with joint, remote PSA trainings for KS and MO growers and growers from IA, NE, SD, and ND where 104 growers were trained. Four new food safety trainers were supported: Carmen Holmes received financial support for a PSA TtT event. Shaw mentored Carmen through the lead trainer application process. Andre Salazar, a new produce safety educator in Iowa, was able to observe multiple remote PSA trainers. Morrine Omolo received financial support for an online processing course. Shakara Tyler received financial support to help her attend a PSA TtT in Kansas. NCR staff participated in the USDA FSOP kick-off meeting in October, and briefly presented the expectations for FSOP awardees. Opportunities were offered to FSOP recipients to share posters at the Annual Conference. Multiple FSOP awardees presented at the monthly listening sessions. Seven presented at the May national gathering in Orlando. Shaw also presented at the Florida conference. The Annual Conference was held Mar. 1 and 3. 94 people attended at least part of the virtual conference. FDA, USDA, and university staff presented. Regional center, PSA, FSPCA, NASDA, USDA GAPs, LFSC, and IFAI staff gave updates. Shaw sent a recorded update to the in-person Southern Center conference in Jan. Johnsen presented at the Western Center's conference in-person in May. Objective 3: Create, Modify, and Validate Produce Safety Training Based on a Needs Assessment, Focusing on Underserved and Diverse Production/Processing Environments and New Educators Meetings were held with niche audiences. Four resources/new meetings were developed from those meetings. Inventory group- program manager meeting started from the inventory meetings Inspector group- website page on cardboard box usage NCFSEN- NCR FSMA is now hosting their website (as of December 2021) Refugee/immigrant growers- Cultivate KC developed food safety plan templates. The plan was translated into Burmese, Swahili, and Falam Chin. The NCR FSMA provided funds for the translation. In November, meetings were held with staff at other organizations who work with niche audiences. Following meetings, existing resources they requested were emailed to participants. New resources have not yet been developed. The meetings focused on: urban/local growers underserved growers small processors Tribal growers Objective 4: Professional development of and technical assistance for NCR produce safety educators, growers, and processors. Resource list was updated and 6 new resources were shared in the newsletter, during listening sessions, or on social media: Grain resource (Oct. newsletter) Resources from the Local Food Safety Collaborative and National Young Farmers Coalition (Oct. listening session) Chris Callahan's resources on sanitary design (Nov. newsletter) Report from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment on the Prevention and Control of Microbiological Hazards in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (Feb. newsletter) #NotOurFarm: a 'zine for farmworkers (Apr. social media) North Central Food Safety Extension Network's 3-publication "Working Regionally" set of Extension publications (Aug. newsletter) The NCR provided financial stipends to partners who provided peer reviews for short courses on the Produce Safety Clearinghouse. Two of these short courses are geared towards growers, and one is geared towards small and medium-sized processors. The monthly listening sessions provide professional development for partners. Most involve an educational presentation, though some months are discussion-based. Average attendance (Sept '21 through Aug '22) was 30 people per month. Evaluation surveys were sent after the niche audience meetings. Annual Conference evaluations were distributed during the conference, sent out in an email after the conference, and included in social media and website posts. Evaluations were distributed after the fall kick-off meeting and environmental monitoring courses. A communications survey was sent to all partners in summer 2022. Ten annual stakeholder interviews were conducted by Enderton. In July, the decision was made to stop evaluating the knowledge assessment from PSA courses. The NCR will still conduct a follow-up survey with PSA grower training participants which measures changes in behavior. The NCR had planned to work with FSPCA trainers to offer a knowledge assessment and follow-up survey, but after several discussions, the consensus was that the NCR trainers were not interested in participating.
Publications
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