Produce Bites

This episode features Micah Hutchison, a Produce Safety Technician with the Genesee Conservation District, and Ginny Farah, who works with the Edible Flint Educational Farm in Flint, Michigan. They provide some insight into training farm workers and volunteers on produce safety practices. 

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

Figuring out whether or not your farm is covered or exempt from the FSMA Produce Safety Rule can be confusing. In this episode, you'll hear from Emily Hale, a Produce Safety Technician covering the east side of Michigan, and Rich and Cindy Kern, co-owners of Cardinal Farms in South Lyon, Michigan. Emily will walk the Kerns through a series of questions to help them determine how the rule applies to their farm.

To contact a Michigan Produce Safety Technician, you may visit https://www.miofps.org/

Additional Resources:

FSMA Produce Safety Rule Flowchart
"Am I Covered?" Interactive Video

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

This podcast episode features Erin Lizotte, Integrated Pest Management Educator with MSU Extension, and Phil Tocco, Preharvest and Postharvest Food Safety Educator with MSU Extension. They discuss the best ways to manage wildlife on the farm.

Additional Resources:

Wildlife Management Resources
Do I Need a Permit to Control Wildlife on my Farm?
Preharvest Wildlife Scouting Interactive Video

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

This episode features Kristin Esch and Brent Kreiger from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). They give us some insights on produce safety inspections, including the differences between an inspection and an audit, what growers should expect during an inspection, how growers can prepare beforehand, and more.

For more information on produce safety inspections and how you can prepare, take a look at these videos created by MDARD:

Produce Safety Inspection for Farm Owners
Produce Safety Inspection for Farm Workers
Produce Safety Technical Assistance

Additional Resources:

Contact your local Produce Safety Technician
Learn more about On-Farm Readiness Reviews

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

This episode features Erin Caudell, a farmer in Flint Michigan and owner of a grocery store known as The Local Grocer, and Micah Hutchinson, a Produce Safety Technician with the Genesee Conservation District. They discuss both the benefits and challenges that are unique to urban agriculture, along with how produce safety may differ on urban farms. 

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Jordan DeVries, a Produce Safety Technician with the Newaygo Conservation District, Marissa Schuh, with Michigan State University Extension, and Don Stoeckel, with the Produce Safety Alliance at Cornell University. They discuss the produce safety risks you should consider when it comes to water, along with what is required by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule regarding water system inspections.

Additional Resources:

More on Water Testing:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/936625/episodes/3028309-fsma-compliant-water-testing

Water Testing Lab Map: https://www.canr.msu.edu/agrifood_safety/produce-safety-education/water 

Irrigation Risks Infographic: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/irrigation-methods-infographic 

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

Environmental Monitoring is the process of testing surfaces inside a pack house or post-harvest area. In this episode, Scott Wall with New Age Laboratories and Jordan DeVries, a Produce Safety Technician with Newaygo Conservation District, discuss why you may want to implement an environmental monitoring program on your farm. 

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

The Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team consists of the Michigan Conservation District Produce Safety Technicians, Michigan State University Extension, and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). In this episode, you’ll hear from Michelle Jacokes, a Produce Safety Technician with the Manistee Conservation District, Mariel Borgman, an MSU Extension Educator, and Heather Borden, the Logistics Coordinator with MSU Extension. They talk about how these organizations collaborate to form the Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team, along with the free, voluntary, and confidential resources available to help growers with all aspects of produce safety on the farm. 

Learn more about your local Michigan Conservation District Produce Safety Technician

Sign up for an On-Farm Readiness Review

MSU Extension Agrifood Safety Website

Other online produce safety resources:

• MIFFS Spanish Resources
• Produce Safety Alliance website
• North Central Region FSMA team
• National Young Farmers Coalition

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

This episode features Kristin Esch, a produce safety specialist with the state of Michigan, and Brad Morgan, president and CEO of Morgan Composting. They discuss the best ways to treat, handle, and store compost or manure with regards to produce safety.

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

In this episode, you'll hear from Jordan DeVries, a Produce Safety Technician with Newaygo Conservation District, Ben Phillips, an MSU Extension Educator in the east central part of Michigan, and Beth Van Dyk, the food safety manager for Van Dyk farms. They discuss the romaine lettuce outbreaks from 2018 and 2019, and Beth speaks up about how these outbreaks have affected leafy greens growers in Michigan. 

Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.