Education and training
On-farm readiness review
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and University of Idaho Extension conduct on-farm readiness reviews (OFRR) to provide a voluntary, non-regulatory review of covered operations for farmers across the state. These reviews are intended to provide resources and tools for an individual farm to help them comply with the rule requirements and be prepared for regulatory farm inspections.
If you are interested in getting more information or scheduling an OFRR for your farm, please visit the ISDA website, email ariel@uidaho.edu, or fill out the online OFRR signup form.
The On-farm Readiness Review is for producers who:
- Know they are covered by the Produce Safety Rule
- Have completed the Produce Safety Alliance Training*
Review the on-farm readiness review preparedness worksheet (pdf), the worksheet outlines major concepts and components of the Produce Safety Rule and can be used to prepare you for an inspection.
This resource provides a guided mock-inspection prior to having a formal inspection by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. On-farm readiness reviews began in 2018. Please subscribe to the Food Safety for Produce Growers newsletter to receive updates about this resource.
*Depending on scheduling of Produce Safety Alliance Training the on-farm readiness review may be completed prior to attending the training.
Produce Safety Alliance Training
The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Training curriculum is currently the only FDA-approved training program to prepare fresh produce growers to meet the regulatory requirements in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.
Completion of this course is required of all farms that are covered by the Produce Safety Rule and have a designated representative of the operation to complete this training. To help you determine if your operation needs this training, please complete this self-guided decision tool.
- The training is typically delivered in one full day
- Cost to attend the training is minimal
- Trainings will be held regionally across Idaho
We have free Produce Safety Rule resources to use on your farm to train employees and meet some requirements of the Produce Safety Rule. Order today.
Videos and webinars
UI Extension and ISDA have partnered to create a variety of online and hard copy resources to help produce growers navigate the Food Safety Modernization Act and the Produce Safety Rule.
Training videos
The following training videos illustrate several important key aspects of the Produce Safety Rule.
- Part 1 — Introduction to the FSMA, Produce Safety Rule
- Part 2 — Idaho produce safety recordkeeping
- Part 3 — Recordkeeping — Agricultural water
- Part 4 — Exemptions and qualified exemption
- Part 5 — Health and hygiene
- Part 6 — Equipment, tools, building and sanitation
- Part 7 — Agricultural water
- Part 8 — Domesticated and wild animals
Produce Safety Webinar Series
The first year of FSMA Produce Safety inspections in Idaho revealed a few key areas in which farms can make adjustments to their food safety practices to be in compliance with the rule.
Three-part webinar series videos and resources
2021
This three-part webinar series addresses the areas that were most identified in 2020 grower survey data as being topics producers need the most help understanding — pest control in buildings, the differences between GAP and FSMA, and how to compost safely under the PSR.
- Be a bad neighbor: Making your building less attractive to mice and birds — Video
- Why do I have to do FSMA if I do Gap? — Video
- Approaches to composting safety — Video
2020
This three-part webinar series is designed to prepare growers for successful inspection by improving their health and hygiene practices, sanitation of buildings, tools and equipment, and recordkeeping. These webinars were based off the biggest areas of non-compliance in the 2019 inspection year.
- Creating hygienic habits on the farm — Video
- Sanitation basics — Video
- Simplifying recordkeeping — Video
Other video resources
- Wildlife, domesticated animals and land use — Video
- Biological soil amendments of animal origin — Video
- Cleaning and sanitation — Video
- Worker health, hygiene and training — Video
- Agricultural water — Video
Grow It, Make It, Sell It — Safety webinar series
We offer free food safety webinar courses for small scale growers and specialty food producers in the Pacific Northwest. This series of webinars is provided by UI Extension in partnership with the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Oregon State University and Washington State University Extension offices. These webinars focus on covering Produce Safety Rule basics, sanitation practices, biological soil amendments, preventative controls in food safety and good manufacturing basics.
Missed a webinar you are interested in? Review past webinar recordings any time by selecting the webinar, click on “Watch the recording,” then sign in with your Google account to fill out the form for access to recorded webinar.