Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

Safe Wisconsin Produce​

• Newsletter: Safe Wisconsin Produce: Spring/Summer 2024​
• Fall 2023
  
• ​Spring 2023
• Fall 2022
• Spring 2022
• ​​​​Fall 2021​​
• Broc​hure: Is my farm covered by the new federal produce safety rules? E​nglish | Hmong | Spanish​Brochure: Safe Wisconsin Produce audits and​ registry E​nglish | Hmong | Spanish​
• Brochure: What is an On-farm Readiness Review? E​nglish | Hmong​ | Spanish​
• Pocket guide: Introduction to On-Farm Produce Safety English | Spanish
  

Water

• FDA proposes changes to agricultural water requirements in the Produce Safety Rule
  
• FDA proposes compliance date extension for pre-harvest agricultural water requirements
  
• Water testing labs:​
  
• US agricultural water testing labs
  
• ​Equivalent testing methods for agricultural water
  
• Agricultural Water Assessment Builder: FDA tool for assessing pre-harvest agricultural water risks on farm.
• Small farm irrigation: Video series
  
• Step-by-step guide to small farm irrigation
  
• Crop infiltration: An article on the importance of monitoring and avoiding food hazards from infiltration. 

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Cleaning & Sanitizing

• Introduction to cleaning and sanitizing for produce safety
• PSA labeled sanitizers for produce: Information about EPA-labeled sanitizers for use on covered crops and food contact surfaces. 
• How to use PSA labeled sanitizers for produce: Video tutorial
  
• How to clean and sanitize crates: A five-minute video showing best practices to clean and sanitize crates. 
• Detergents for farm food contact surfaces 
• Power washing aerosolization, considerations for produce safety: A one-minute video on the risks involved with power washing.
• Confessions of a dirty greens spinner
• Washing machine/greens spinner conversion guide
• Cleaning a walk-in cooler: A four-minute video showing best practices to clean a walk-in cooler.​

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Animals & Land Use

• Domesticated animals fact sheet – FSMA Produce Safety Rule
• Wildlife and food safety
  

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General Resources

• FDA announces the final rule for food traceability under FSMA​ 
•  Food traceability list: What produce falls under the traceability rule.
  
•  Food traceability rule: critical tracking events (CTEs) and key data elements (KDEs): What are the records required under traceability.
• Whole farm planning technical assistance guide: Basic guide for starting a farm food safety plan.
• Produce packshed design: An eight-minute video on packshed design best practices.
  
• Produce Safety Rule inspections and voluntary USDA audits: Guide for understanding the differences between inspections and audits.
  
• Farm stand and U-pick produce operations safety best practices
  
• Produce safety in hydroponic and aquaponic operations​​
• Mushroom good agricultural practices audit and FSMA resources
• Bodily fuid cleanup on the farm
  
• Qualified Exemption Review​ Example and Template
  
• Podcasts and webinars:
  
• Food safety for farmers podcast and webinar series
• Pennsylvania Farmers Union food safety video series
• Food Safety Bites: A food safety focused podcast series from UW-Madison.
• Extension Legal Services Initiative: A variety of legal resources and fact sheets for produce growers. 
• State implementation of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule: A map to help illustrate each state's implementation of the rule.
  
• Produce farms, foodborne illness, and legal liability: Information for producers on foodborne illnesses that are traced back to their facilities.
• Alternatives and variances to the Produce Safety Rule: Alternatives and variances to the regulatory standards in certain circumstances.
• Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety (NECAFS) Clearinghouse: A curated source of produce safety and preventive controls for human food-related resources. Anyone can search and view the resources linked to the clearinghouse by using one or all of the search tools. 

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Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

• Guidance
• Frequently asked questions
  
• What's new in FSMA
  
• FSMA rules and guidance
  
• Technical Assistance Network (TAN): A central source of information for questions related to the FSMA rules, programs, and implementation strategies.
  
• TAN inquiries report
• FDA continues enforcement discretion policy relevant to certain co-manufacturers under FSMA
• Other language translations and resources
  
• e-CFR of Title 21 Chapter I Subchapter B Part 21: Standards for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption. A searchable electronic version of PSR regulatory language.
• Final rule on produce safety
• Produce Safety Network
• Sprout Safety Alliance
  
• PSR draft guidance for industry
• Coverage, exemptions, and exclusions
  
• Produce safety inspections:
  
• What to expect of a regulatory inspection
  

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Produce Safety Alliance (PSA)

The Produce Safety Alliance is a collaboration between Cornell University, FDA, and USDA to prepare fresh produce growers to meet the requirements included in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. Currently, the PSA grower training course is the only FDA-recognized training that satisfies a key PSR regulatory requirement.

• Fact sheet 
  
• Training courses
• Upcoming grower training classes
• Resources: Useful links and downloads on agriculture water, soil amendments, sanitation, recordkeeping and food safety plans (including a list of required documents and templates).​

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Organizations 

• The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) is an international, nonprofit organization that is in the forefront of streamlining and simplifying regulations by either drafting regulatory rules or by commenting on government proposals. AFDO manages grower training certifications.
• The Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) is a one-of-a-kind applied food science research consortium comprised of the Illinois Institute of Technology, FDA, and the food industry.
• K-State Extension Food Safety
• Marbleseed is a nonprofit organization based in Spring Valley, Wis., that promotes organic and sustainable agriculture by providing education, resources, and expertise on many aspects of produce safety.
• Michigan State University Agrifood Safety
• The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders, and is the principal developer of the On-Farm Readiness Program.
• The North Central Region was selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration to represent 12 Midwest states to establish a sustainable communication network connecting educators, growers, and processors throughout the North Central Region to facilitate collaboration for FSMA compliance training and build training capacity.​

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