What is Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety?
The Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety program was developed as a statewide effort to proactively minimize contamination risks to raw, fresh produce by working alongside farmers to reduce risks in accordance with the Food Safety Modernization Act's Produce Safety Rule. In a collaborative effort, three state-wide organizations work together to further produce safety goals: MSU Extension, Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development, and Conservation Districts (Produce Safety Technicians).
Michigan is the only state with Produce Safety Technicians that provide on-farm technical education and assistance. There are six technicians that serve throughout the state and are housed within Michigan Conservation Districts. All services provided by the technician are free, voluntary, confidential, and non-regulatory.
Allissa Conley is our Produce Safety Technician and services 13 counties including: Newaygo, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Osceola, Mecosta, Clare, Isabella, Gladwin, Midland, Arenac, and Bay. If you need more information on the Produce Safety Rule or the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) please reach out.
Services Offered
The Produce Safety Risk Assessment & On-Farm Technical Assistance
A key part of the Produce Safety Technician’s role is conducting an on-farm Produce Safety Risk Assessment (PSRA), which is available to farms of all sizes that are growing fresh produce, including mixed commodity farms. Completing a PSRA also gives farm access to cost-share funds and logo usages. The PSRA has 3 steps:
A key part of the Produce Safety Technician’s role is conducting an on-farm Produce Safety Risk Assessment (PSRA), which is available to farms of all sizes that are growing fresh produce, including mixed commodity farms. Completing a PSRA also gives farm access to cost-share funds and logo usages. The PSRA has 3 steps:
1. Evaluate
Your local technician will walk around your farm with you, working to complete the PSRA. They'll follow the flow of your produce from the field where it grows to where it is sold. They will explain the program and recommend practical steps you can take to meet program standards and your own food safety goals.
Some elements the technician will look at include:
Your local technician will walk around your farm with you, working to complete the PSRA. They'll follow the flow of your produce from the field where it grows to where it is sold. They will explain the program and recommend practical steps you can take to meet program standards and your own food safety goals.
Some elements the technician will look at include:
- worker health & hygiene
- water usage
- animals/wildlife/livestock exclusion
- soil amendments
- field harvest & transport
- produce packing
- pesticides & crop protection
- produce traceability
2. Implement
If you choose to complete the PSRA, the next step is to mitigate any high risk practices that you may currently have in place.
You can complete these next steps at your own pace, and solutions are customized to fit and work for your operation. The technician is here to help you either complete the next steps together, offer advice or different price point solutions, connect you to others who can help, and even offer cost-share dollars to help you implement a practice that helps you on your produce safety journey.
If you choose to complete the PSRA, the next step is to mitigate any high risk practices that you may currently have in place.
You can complete these next steps at your own pace, and solutions are customized to fit and work for your operation. The technician is here to help you either complete the next steps together, offer advice or different price point solutions, connect you to others who can help, and even offer cost-share dollars to help you implement a practice that helps you on your produce safety journey.
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3. Certify
If you want to continue on up the produce safety ladder, receiving a Produce Safety Certification is the next step. This step requires a little bit of additional work from the grower. Once any high risk practices that were identified from the PSRA are complete, growers also have to either create a documented Food Safety Plan or update their existing plan. A Food Safety Plan is tailored for each operation and aims to organize and prepare growers for other food safety regulations, buyer requirements, and questions. Technicians work with the grower to help them write this plan or give them the tools to do so. After these steps, your local technician will contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and will deliver a Produce Safety Certificate signed by the Director of MDARD, as well as information to use the Produce Safety Certified logo and marketing materials. The certificate serves as a recognition of the efforts and safety practices of the farmer’s operation and staff, and enables farms to use the MI Certified Produce Safety logo at points of sale, on merchandise, and wherever the farm sees fit. |
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On-Farm Readiness Reviews
On-Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRRs) are designed to help fresh produce growers feel prepared and ready for a full implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). They allow growers to walk through their operation with a small team of food-safety experts and discuss how to meet the new FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements.
On-Farm Readiness Reviews are free, voluntary, and completely confidential, and any notes taken by the reviewers are left on the farm. OFRRs are an inexpensive option for growers to gain a further understanding of the food safety laws. OFRRs facilitate a discussion between the grower and educator on the Produce Safety Rule, and allow the grower to walk through their operation and verify whether or not they are meeting the requirements. The information covered during an OFRR is tailored to the growers specific farm, so only relevant sections of the rule are discussed.
At the end of an OFRR, the reviewers will suggest the top 3 ways the farm can improve their food-safety practices, making it easy for growers to prioritize what needs to be done. The primary goal of an OFRR is to leave growers feeling more relaxed, prepared, and confident for a full implementation of FSMA.
On-Farm Readiness Reviews are free, voluntary, and completely confidential, and any notes taken by the reviewers are left on the farm. OFRRs are an inexpensive option for growers to gain a further understanding of the food safety laws. OFRRs facilitate a discussion between the grower and educator on the Produce Safety Rule, and allow the grower to walk through their operation and verify whether or not they are meeting the requirements. The information covered during an OFRR is tailored to the growers specific farm, so only relevant sections of the rule are discussed.
At the end of an OFRR, the reviewers will suggest the top 3 ways the farm can improve their food-safety practices, making it easy for growers to prioritize what needs to be done. The primary goal of an OFRR is to leave growers feeling more relaxed, prepared, and confident for a full implementation of FSMA.
More Information
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Links to Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety (MIOFPS) resources
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