PSA Training Opportunities & UpdatesFSMA: Produce Safety Rule

Gretchen L. Wall, M.S.Produce Safety Alliance Coordinator

Cornell University

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Key Goals for Today

• Outline what the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) is doing to support growers and trainers

• Provide resources to prepare educators to assist growers

FDA Food Safety Modernization Act & Proposed Produce Safety Rule• Draft released January 4, 2013• Proposed Produce Rule:

Focus on the growing, harvesting, and post-harvest handling of produce

• Focus is on the prevention, not detection of issues

• First ever regulation for the production, harvest, and handling of fruits and vegetables

Proposed Produce Safety Rule Supplemental

• First comment period closed 11-22-13• Over 15,000 comments received during the

first open comment period• Key provisions reopened for comment on

September 29, 2014, including: Water quality standards Raw manure and compost Mixed use facilities Procedures for withdrawing the qualified

exemption for certain farms• Final comment period closed Dec. 15, 2014

Produce Rule: Areas of Focus–Agricultural water–Biological soil amendments–Domesticated and wild animals–Personnel qualifications, training, and

health and hygiene– Equipment, tools, buildings, & sanitation

FSMA Time Frame

Draft Rule Released

Final rule published in Federal Register

Large growers (>$500K) comply -

2 years

Small growers ($250-500K)

comply - 3 years

Very small growers ($25-250K) comply -

4 years

Jan 2013

Nov 2013

Oct2015

2016-

2017

2016-

2018

2016-

2019

Public Comment EndNovember 22, 2013

Supplemental Comments Due Dec. 15th

Fall 2014 2020

+W

e ar

e he

re

Add an additional 2 years to each

business size for compliance with the

water standards

• Cooperative agreement between Cornell University, FDA, and USDA

• Established in 2010• Focused on outreach and education to

assist growers with meeting regulatory and market food safety requirements

Produce Safety Alliance

• Fresh produce growers, packers, and grower cooperatives with special emphasis on small and very small scale farms and packinghouses– Not to the exclusion of any farmer!

• Regulatory personnel• All others interested in produce food safety,

GAPs, and co-management

Target Audience

Primary Goals• Develop a standardized educational curriculum

to increase understanding of produce safety – As proposed, training will be required– 112.22 (c) At least one supervisor from the farm

must complete food safety training at least equivalent to the standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA

• Build national networks• Train trainers to build cadre of qualified

instructors• Conduct grower trainings• Collaborate for international training

PSA Curriculum Development Process

Identify GAPs Challenges

Set Goals

Develop Learning Objectives

Create Content

Evaluate Programs

Launch

Educational Materials Conference

Working Committee Process 10 WCs 72 WC Meetings 178 Unique Members 549 Total Members

PSA Curriculum Development Process

Identify GAPs Challenges

Set Goals

Develop Learning Objectives

Create Content

Evaluate Programs

Launch

8 Nationwide Grower Focus Groups

PSA Curriculum Development Process

Identify GAPs Challenges

Set Goals

Develop Learning Objectives

Create Content

Evaluate Programs

Launch

Based on WC and Focus Group Recommendations

Educational Materials Conference as resources

Proposed Produce Safety Rule Requirements

PSA Curriculum Development Process

Identify GAPs Challenges

Set Goals

Develop Learning Objectives

Create Content

Evaluate Programs

Launch

Pilot Train-the-Trainer December 2014 Geneva, NY 38 attendees 14 states and

Canada represented Pilot Grower Training

January 2015 Hershey, PA 33 attendees

PSA Curriculum Development Process

Identify GAPs Challenges

Set Goals

Develop Learning Objectives

Create Content

Launch

Evaluate Programs

PSA TTT’s Held June 2015 Kalamazoo, MI &

Harrisburg, PA PSA TTT’s Scheduled

None until after regulation is final and edits are incorporated into materials

Final Launch: 2016

PSA Grower Training CurriculumSeven hours of dedicated instruction that can be delivered in one day:• Introduction to Produce Safety• Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training• Soil Amendments• Wildlife and Domestic Animals• Agricultural Water• Postharvest handling & Sanitation• How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

*Completion of course results in certificate from Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) ($35)

Costs: PSA Grower Training Course

• PSA Grower Training Manual: $50• PSA/AFDO Certificate: $35• Replacement Certificates: $15• All other fees may vary depending on location,

venue, host funding, meals, etc.• Intent is to keep costs as low as possible• All registered trainings will be posted on PSA

and AFDO websites with cost and location so growers can choose

Funding Availability

• Funding streams seem more likely to become available for produce safety training– Specialty crop block grants– RMA grants– Industry groups– Private organizations

• Education will be more accessible to ALL growers

PSA Train-the-Trainer Program Goals

186,000 produce farms in the U.S. that may need training

Build a large body of instructors through Train-the-Trainer program

Accommodate diverse educational backgrounds of trainers

Incorporate new regulatory information

Challenges to Finding Qualified Trainers

• Prospective trainers must have:– Time– Funding– Support to be involved– Background knowledge in competency areas

• Most importantly, WANT to be involved• Rural locations are at a disadvantage

Qualified Trainers & Competencies

• Produce Safety Scientific Knowledge– Basic understanding of bacteria, viruses,

parasites

1

3

2

• Fruit & Vegetable Production Knowledge– Understand produce

safety risks in an agricultural environment

• Effective Training Delivery– Ability to present technical

scientific information and regulatory language to a nontechnical audience 4

• FSMA Produce Safety Rule– Understand new

regulations, how they apply to growers, and where to find technical assistance

PSA Train-the-Trainer Curriculum• Two-day training course • Day 1:

– Review of FSMA Produce Safety Rule– Key Concepts: PSA Grower Modules (1-5)– Principles of adult education– Training Resources

• Day 2: – Key Concepts: PSA Grower Modules (6-7)– Multi-day Training Options & Partnerships that work– FDA & USDA Presentations– PSA Training Protocol & Logistics

*Completion of course results in certificate from Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) ($50)

PSA Train-the-Trainer Certification

• Step 1: Fill out the trainer application to attend the two day PSA TTT Course (no one will be turned away)

• Step 2: Completion of 2-day Train-the-Trainer Course results in certificate from Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) as a PSA Certified Trainer

• Two Types of PSA Trainers1. PSA Certified Trainer2. PSA Certified Lead Trainerhttp://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/course/PSATrainerCertificationProcess5-7-15.pdf

What Can I Do as a PSA Certified Trainer?

• Deliver any of the seven PSA curriculum modules during a PSA Grower Training Course under the supervision of a PSA Certified Lead Trainer

• Register PSA Grower Training Courses with AFDO, as long as you have a PSA Certified Lead Trainer on your training team who is present for the entire course

• Proceed with scheduling an interview to become a PSA Certified Lead Trainer

Step 3: Becoming a PSA Certified Lead Trainer

1• Schedule an interview with the PSA Interview Committee

2• Interview committee reviews your original TTT application,

coordinates date and time for interview

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• Committee of not less than two, but no more than three will evaluate the trainer using a rubric designed to evaluate trainer competency areas

4 • Interview committee will decide if trainer is qualified to become a PSA Certified Lead Trainer

What to Expect: PSA Certified Lead Trainer Interview

• Interview should be no longer than one hour• Held via toll-free conference call• Trainers will be asked questions and scenarios

relevant to produce safety training by PSA Interview Committee

• Interviewees will be provided a rubric after the interview process and will be notified whether they have qualified, likely within two weeks

How Can I Prepare for the PSA Certified Lead Trainer Interview?

• Review all seven curriculum modules, learning objectives, and teaching notes

• Review the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and associated documents to assure familiarity with regulatory requirements

• Read the additional literature provided in the teaching notes if content in a particular module is new or unfamiliar

Is there a fee associated with the PSA Certified Lead Trainer Interview?

• Yes. We are currently evaluating the costs of the interview process.

• It is likely that two fees will apply. – $200 for the interview – covers PSA

Interview Committee’s time– $25 for an additional PSA Certified Lead

Trainer Certificate from AFDO• Final decision has not yet been made

Common Training Questions• Can growers who have attended previous

GAPs trainings attend for only part of the day and still receive their PSA/AFDO certificate?– No, credits for previous GAPs or produce safety

courses other than through PSA registered trainings will be recognized (i.e. grandfathering)

• Is there a process for curriculum equivalency if I want to use my own?– The AFDO/PSA Certificate of Course Completion will only be

available to individuals who attend a registered PSA Grower Training Course

– There is a provision in the proposed FSMA Produce Safety Rule, issued on January 16, 2013 and published in the Federal Register, that states equivalent curriculum materials may be developed

Common Training Questions• Will the educational materials be available in

other languages?– Yes, after the FSMA Produce Safety Rule is final in

Oct. 2015

• Can I change the PSA curriculum module slides or agenda?– Yes, to some extent. We have built in flexibility to

change photos to reflect regional, commodity specific, or audience preferences. The training agenda can also be extended to a multi-day program.

PSA Next Steps• Awaiting final FSMA Produce Safety Rule– Update and reprint educational materials

• Host Train-the-Trainers around the country– Training courses tentatively scheduled for Jan. 2016

• Make grower trainings widely available and accessible– Prepare growers to meet market demand and

regulatory requirements, Jan. 2016

• Continue to expand collaborative networks

PSA Team & Regional Extension Associates

Southwest: Donna Pahl, M.S.

Midwest: Don Stoeckel, Ph.D.

Northeast: Betsy Bihn, Ph.D.

Gretchen Wall, M.S.Michele Humiston

Mark Kogut

Southeast: Offer pending

Northwest: Reviewing applicants

The Key to PSA’s Success: Collaboration!

Produce Safety

Education

Extension

Research

Produce Industry

Growers

Regulatory

Technical Assistance & The PSA Educator’s Group

• PSA hosts monthly meetings for produce safety educators

• Toll-free conference call• Provide training updates,

opportunities to learn more about FSMA, new resources, discuss other challenges in GAPs

• Contact Michele Humiston: mmc15@cornell.edu

to be added to the listserv

The PSA Website http://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/

• You can even ‘friend’ us on Facebook!

• Join the listserv!

Questions?

Gretchen L. Wall, M.S. PSA Coordinatorglw53@cornell.edu607.255.6806

Elizabeth A. Bihn, Ph.D. PSA Directoreab38@cornell.edu 315.787.2625

Carl Warner