Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course

Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course

Iowa produce growers: ISU Extension and Outreach is offering you a great deal on produce safety trainings this winter!

The Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement mandating that “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.”

Registration for the PSA classes is now open. See the bottom of the page for upcoming dates and locations. To register with a credit card, go to the Events page and click on the preferred training. To register by check, download the registration form and mail it in. If you are unable to download the form, please email us at Iowafsma@iastate.edu or call 515-294-6773, and we will send you a paper registration form.

The PSA courses are designed for growers of fruits and vegetables. If you are a fruit or vegetable processor, please click here for more information about the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance trainings.

The cost is only $20 for Iowa growers, and $120 for out-of-state growers. Your fee includes PSA manual, certificate of completion, and lunch. Participants must be present for the entire eight-hour course to get credit for attending.

If you have more than one person attending from the same farm or company and you want to share one PSA manual, you can register two people for the price of one. Contact the Iowa FSMA team for details: IowaFSMA@iastate.edu or 515-294-6773.

If you’re new to Good Agricultural Practices, the team recommends that you view the Iowa GAP I videos prior to attendance. It’s free.

They also recommend these videos:
https://extension.psu.edu/fsma-part-1-what-is-the-food-safety-modernization-act
https://extension.psu.edu/fsma-part-3-am-i-eligible-for-exemptions-under-the-produce-safety-or-human-foods-rules

To see a map of where trainings are being held, click here.

January 11
Warren County Extension Office
909 East Second Ave, Suite E; Indianola, IA
Please register by January 2

February 1
Wapello County Extension Office
13011 120th Avenue, Ottumwa, IA
Please register by January 18

February 9
Linn County Extension Office
383 Collins Road NE, Suite 201
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
(Back Up Day in case of bad weather- Feb. 15)
Please register by January 26

March 8
NCC-603 West Park Street; Building C; Room 304
Sheldon, IA
Please register by February 22

March 29
Cerro Gordo County Extension Office
601 S Illinois Avenue
Mason City, IA 50401
Please register by March 15