PORTLAND — Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 27, at the Portland Water District Nixen Development Center, 225 Douglass St. Snow date is March 29. Registration closes March 20.

The training is provided for fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, farm food safety best practices and co-management of natural resources and food safety.

The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires “At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.”

The trainers will spend approximately seven hours of instruction time covering content contained in these seven modules: Introduction to Produce Safety, Worker Health, Hygiene and Training, Soil Amendments, Wildlife, Domesticated Animals and Land Use, Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water), Postharvest Handling and Sanitation and How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan.

In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, key parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module. There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should be prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions.

After attending the course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course.

For registration or accommodation, contact Jodie Keene at [email protected] or 207-892-4700.