Regulatory and Industry Guidance

Category: Produce Safety

Guidance and regulatory resources to assist stakeholders seeking informational tools for compliance with the Produce Safety Rule.

* Resources in other languages

Produce Safety Rule General Information

AFDO Produce Safety Rule Inspections and Voluntary USDA Audits: Guidance to Help Understand the Differences and Commonalities

AFDO Scheduling a Produce Farm Inspection

AFDO Guidance for Interpretation of Approved Source

Cyclosporiasis and Fresh Produce

Emergency Planning and Management – Always be Prepared

Evaluating Alternate Curricula for the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption: Guidance for Industry Draft

Final Produce Rule in Federal Registry with Preamble

Food Safety Begins on the Farm – Spanish

FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety: Standards for Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption

*FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety: Standards for Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption – Spanish

Guidance for Industry: Enforcement Policy for Entities Growing, Harvesting, Packing, or Holding Hops, Wine Grapes, Pulse Crops and Almonds

Introduction to the PSA Grower Training Course

*Introduction to the PSA Grower Training Course – Spanish

Investigating Fresh Produce Cyclospora Outbreaks

NASDA Model Produce Safety Implementation Framework 2021

Pocket Guide to Performing a Farm Risk Assessment

*Produce Safety at a Glance – Spanish

Produce Safety Rule Inspections and Voluntary USDA Audits

Produce Safety Rule Plain Language Guide

TAN (Technical Assistance Network) Questions for Produce

TAN (Technical Assistance Network) for Sprouts

USDA Aligns Harmonized GAP Program with FDA Produce Safety Rule

Subpart A: General Provisions

Am I affected by new Food Safety Rules under the FSMA A Flow Chart for Farmers and Food Businesses

*Am I affected by new Food Safety Rules under the FSMA A Flow Chart for Farmers and Food Businesses – Spanish

Annual Qualified Exemption Review Worksheet

*Coverage/Exemption Food Safety Flow Chart – Spanish

Exemption Worksheet – NCRFSMA

FDA Coverage and Exemptions / Exclusions

*FDA Coverage and Exemptions / Exclusions – Spanish

FSMA Inflation Adjusted Cutoff’s

Key Requirements: Final Rule on Produce Safety

Produce Safety Rule Compliance Dates and Timeline

Rarely Consumed Raw Produce

*Rarely Consumed Raw Produce – Spanish

Small Entity Compliance Guide – Guidance for Industry: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption: What You Need to Know About the FDA Regulation Small Entity Compliance Guide

Subpart C: Personnel Qualifications and Training

Basics of Worker Training

Draft Guidance of PSR Chapter 2: Personnel Qualifications and Training (Subpart C)

Produce Safety Grower Training Courses

Required Training for Covered Farms

Starting a Produce Food Safety Worker Training Program on Your Farm

*Worker Health & Hygiene – Chinese, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Korean, Spanish

*Worker Specific Training in Spanish (series) – Spanish

Subpart D: Health and Hygiene

Bodily Fluid Cleanup on the Farm

Guidance of PSR Chapter 3: Health and Hygiene (Subpart D)

How to Wash Your Hands

When to Wash Your Hands

Subpart E: Agricultural Water

Analysis of Agricultural Water and Spent Sprout Irrigation Water

APP for Ag Water

Considering Irrigation Water Sources

Disinfection of Individual Well Water

Disinfecting Your Well Water: Shock Chlorination

Equivalent Testing Methodology for Agricultural Water

*Equivalent Testing Methodology for Agricultural Water – Spanish

FDA Fact Sheet: Requirements for Harvest and Post-Harvest Agricultural Water in Subpart E for Covered Produce Other than Sprouts

FMA Produce Safety Rule: Agriculture Water

FSMA Produce Safety Rule Online Calculator for Determining Your Microbial Water Quality Profile (MWQP)

Ground Water MWQP Calculator, WCFS v. 5.0, 10-2-17

National Water Quality Testing Labs Map

Online Tool for Determining Your Microbial Water Quality Profile

Surface Water MWQP Calculator, WCFS V. 6.0, 10-2-17

Tablet Chlorination: Water System Treatment for Pre-harvest Use

Taking a Water Sample

Water Sampling 101

Water System Inspections

Subpart F: BSAAO’s and Human Waste

Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin

*Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin – Spanish

Guidance of PSR Chapter 4: BSAAO’s and Human Waste (Subpart F)

Food Safe Compost Use

*Food Safe Compost Use – Spanish

FSMA Compliant On-Farm Thermophilic Composting

Subpart I: Domesticated and Wild Animals

Balancing Food Safety and Domesticated Animals on Produce Farms

Best Practices for Field Contamination

Dealing with Wildlife

Domesticated Animal Factsheet

Electric Fence Designs for Deterring White-tailed Deer

Video – Electric Fence Designs for Deterring White-tailed Deer

Guidance for PSR Chapter 5: Domesticated and Wild Animals (subpart I)

Monitoring Wildlife Activities: Bird Droppings

Rats and Other Rodent Fact Sheet

Track and Scat Glovebox Guide

Subpart K: Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Holding Activities

Clean Greens: A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Triple Rinsing Greens

*Cyclosporiasis and Fresh Produce – Spanish

Dropped Covered Produce

*Dropped Covered Produce – Spanish

Establishing Lot Size Through Sanitation Clean Breaks in Produce Packing Facilities

Food Safety for Southern U.S. Food Crop Producers after Flooding

Guidance for Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Consumers

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Freshcut Fruits and Vegetables

Infiltration during Covered Produce Washing

Introduction to Selecting an EPA-Labeled Sanitizer

Key Points of Control and Management of Microbial Food Safety: Information for Producers, Handlers, and Processors fo Melons

Produce from Flooded Areas: Considerations for growers, packing houses and processors

Reducing Food Safety Risks in the Packhouse

*Reducing Food Safety Risks in the Packhouse – Spanish

Tips to Avoid Contamination During Transportation

Using Sanitizers in Wash Water

Part 1 Reasons for Washing Fresh Produce

Part 2 Types of Wash Systems

Part 3 Correct Use of Sanitizers

Wash Water Chlorine Disinfection

Subpart L: Equipment, Tools, Buildings, and Sanitation

Cleaning Produce Washing Equipment:

Cleaning vs Sanitizing

Cleaning vs Sanitizing Equipment

Cleaning and Sanitizing Farm Tools and Equipment

Conveyor Washing System Checklist

Guidance for PSR Chapter 7.1: Equipment, Tools (Subpart L)

Guidance for PSR Chapter 7.2: Buildings (Subpart L)

Farm Cooler Checklist

Floors for Vegetable Wash, Pack, & Storage Areas

Greens Spinners for Farms Use

How to Clean and Sanitize

Hygienic Design for Produce Farms

Tips to Cleaning Work Tools

Guidelines for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes in Small to Medium Scale Packing and Fresh Cut Operations

Minimizing Risk in Multiple Use Containers

Washing Machine Greens Spinner

Subpart M: Sprouts

Analysis of Agricultural Water and Spent Sprout Irrigation Water

Auditing and Inspection Checklist for Sprouting Facilities

Appendix A – Antimicrobial Treatments for Sprouting Seeds

Appendix B – Validated Test Kits for Microbial Testing of Spent Irrigation Water During Sprout Production

Draft Guidance for Industry: Compliance with and Recommendations for Implementation of the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption for Sprout Operations

Reducing Microbial Food Safety Hazards in the Production of Seed for Sprouting: Guidance for Industry Draft

Sprout Safety Alliance References

Safer Sprout Production for Produce Safety Rule Compliance

Sprout Safety Alliance

Subpart O: Records

Creating a Google Maps Field Map

Creating a Google Maps Field Map – Example

Explanation of Required Records for the FSMA Produce Safety Rule

Mobile Digital Record keeping with Google Docs

*Record Keeping – Spanish

Crop Specific

Almonds – Enforcement Policy for Entities Growing, Harvesting, Packing or Holding Hops, Wine Grapes, Puse Crops and Almonds

Blueberries – Food Safety Best Management Practices for Wild Blueberry Producers In Maine

Grapes – Enforcement Policy for Entities Growing, Harvesting, Packing or Holding Hops, Wine Grapes, Puse Crops and Almonds

Grapes – Ensuring Food Safety in the Vineyards: Table Grapes

Grapes – Ensuring Food Safety in the Vineyards: Wine Grapes

Orchards – FSMA Produce Rule for Midwest Orchards

Inspections

Extension Agents Produce Training Webinar

FDA Produce Inspections for Regulators Virtual Produce Tour June 2018

On Farm Readiness Review Example State Website

Pre-Inspection Checklist – Minnesota

Produce Inspections Example State Website

What to Expect During a Produce Safety Rule Inspection Example State

What to Expect of a Regulatory Inspection

Template Examples

Produce Safety Program Grower Information Binder

Daily Pre-harvest Checklist

Hygienic Design Checklist – On-Farm Equipment and Buildings Used for Handling and Washing Produce

Required Records and Templates

Sprout Safety Alliance Training Sample Documents

U-Pick and Farmers Markets

ADA Signage for Farms Poster English and Spanish

ADA Signage for What Will Happen When You Bring Service Animals to Farm

Farm Stand and U Pick Guidance

Service Animals on U-Pick Farms

Visitor Policy Language for Food Safety Manuals