PRODUCE SAFETY:
LESSONS FROM NEVADA
SETH URBANOWITZ & CAROL BISHOP
BACKGROUND ON NEVADA: WE GROW
MORE THAN ALIENS
> New Jersey
FORCES OF CHANGE
• The feds are coming!
• Consumer concern
• Certification nation: the assurance matrix
• Market access
• Increased interest in local foods
MEETING THE NEEDS
• Minimal programming occurring historically
• Conducted on-farm food safety trainings, Las Vegas / Reno
2013-2014
•
•
•
•
Small to medium sized farms
Direct marketing
GAPs
FSMA
• Curriculum and fact sheets
• Technical assistance
•
•
•
•
Is it right for me?
Buyer requirements
What should I do?
Plan development
SUCCESSES
Understanding of:
• Over 100 participants
• Farmers, public health
professionals and
agricultural professionals
• Partnerships
• health departments, NV
Dept. of Ag., and farmers
• Transfer of knowledge
• Grant-seeking
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
Risk management in the context of food safety
Food safety regulatory aspects as it relates to
fresh produce
Worker health and hygiene practices
Agricultural water use practices
Soil amendments, manure and composting
practices
How to reduce the risk that wildlife and animals
pose to on-farm food safety
The process of sanitizing tools and equipment
Recordkeeping and traceability methods
Food safety practices for direct marketing
(CSA’s, agritourism, farmers’ markets)
Good Handling Practices (GHPs)
How to complete a food safety plan
The relationship between produce quality and
food safety
FACILITATING RISK MITIGATION
CORRELATED PROGRAMMING
• Step from knowledge to action
• Perceived roadblocks to GAP certification
• Mock Audit workshops
• 17 adult
• 43 hs youth
• Food Safety Plan workshops
• Currently few certified
• Cost share until July 30, 2015
WHAT’S NEEDED
• Longitudinal data on changes of practices and
market access
• Costs
• Communicate and advise on cost-effective approaches
• Is it worth it?
• Focused and partnered programming
• Wildlife, composting, water, record keeping
MESSAGES THAT WORK
• Producer
acceptance is not
high
• “I’m a farmer, I walk
from chicken coop to
field”
• “Animals are a part of
farms, they can’t be
excluded”
• “Shouldn’t the
consumer be told to
wash – seems to be a
burden on farmers”
• Function of size, place,
familiarity, other factors
• All farmers want to:
• Produce safe food
• “Unsafe food has
consequences”
• Limit lost produce
• Relationship between
IPM , produce quality
and safety
• Sell produce
• Market access
TAKEAWAY
• Interest is high, not necessarily so with certification
• Important source of information to health professionals
and farmers
• Inclusive programming meets varied needs best
• No large differences in attendees, knowledge gains or
overall rating associated with program length (1,2,3 –
day trainings)