Article by Bruce Gresczyk Jr. & Diane Hirsch Contact Diane Wright Hirsch, Cooperative Extension Educator, North Haven, CT diane.hirsch@uconn.edu 203-407-3163 foodsafety.uconn.edu Fruits and vegetables add important nutrients, color, and variety to our diet. Most of us enjoy them raw in salads, as a snack, or dessert. However, in the last decade there has been an increase in the number of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and veg- etables. Spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions, have been on the outbreak list. Many consumers are unaware that produce is the number one source of foodborne illness—it is more likely to be associated with foodborne illness than meat, poultry, fish or dairy products. A series of programs and laws were developed to bring consistency nationwide and reduce the number of foodborne illness outbreaks. These include: Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)—a voluntary audit program, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. The Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule (PSR) was passed in 2011, implemented in 2016, and establishes science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, pack- ing, and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption. The PSR is aimed at reducing foodborne illness from fresh fruits and vegetables. Farmers that are not exempt from the rule must attend approved training. UConn Extension Educator Diane Hirsch offers the Produce Safety Alliance course, and GAP audit preparation courses. Case Study: Gresczyk Farms LLC First of all, I deeply appreciate everything Extension educators do for us as farms. I give credit to Extension for everything I’m good at growing. I think the only way agriculture can be strong in this state is if we all do a good job at it. Part of this is food safety. Admittedly, the part I knew the least about was food safety. The produce rule and FSMA kind of scared me, not knowing anything about it. It’s a very complex law. Plus, our farm also wanted to achieve voluntary GAP certification. Essentially, certain buyers on the wholesale level require you to be part of GAP so they can meet the qualifications of their food safety program. At Gresczyk Farms LLC in New Hartford we grow 130 acres of vegetables. We also have ¾ acres of greenhouses, with vegetable crops grown inside, and 600 laying hens for egg production. I became a course Food Safety on Farms 10 2017 HIGHLIGHTS OF EXTENSION