Food Safety Archives - Specialty Crop Industry https://specialtycropindustry.com/category/food-safety/ Vegetable and Specialty Crop News Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:52:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 116110416 Funds Available to Help South Carolina Farmers Improve Food Safety https://specialtycropindustry.com/funds-available-to-help-south-carolina-farmers-improve-food-safety/ Tue, 06 Jun 2023 14:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22202 COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) is pleased to announce an updated On-Farm Improvement Cost Share Program. Through USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funding administered by SCDA, farmers who are covered or qualified exempt by the Produce Safety Rule can receive reimbursements up to $2,000 per year per farm for on-farm food safety improvements. Examples of improvements ...

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]]> 22202 Agricultural Water and Regulatory Updates for Produce Growers https://specialtycropindustry.com/agricultural-water-and-regulatory-updates-for-produce-growers/ Thu, 01 Jun 2023 09:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22169 By Camila Rodrigues Food-safety regulations are constantly evolving to ensure food is safe and free from harmful contaminants. One area that has received increased attention in recent years is water used in food production and processing. Water is an essential component for the production of raw agricultural commodities. It is used to irrigate crops, clean equipment and facilities, and wash ...

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]]> 22169 Lots of Leftovers: Food Safety Important This Thanksgiving Season https://specialtycropindustry.com/thanksgiving-leftovers-food-safety/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=20386 By Clint Thompson Thanksgiving is the annual gathering of family, food and fellowship. But it can also be a time of spoilage and germs if food is not properly stored following a meal. Keith Schneider, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of food science and human nutrition, said in UF/IFAS article that foods that ...

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]]> 20386 Food Recalls vs. Outbreaks: What Growers Need to Know https://specialtycropindustry.com/food-recalls-vs-outbreaks-what-growers-need-to-know/ Thu, 11 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=19414 By Camila Rodrigues The number of news stories on produce recalls from retail stores and outbreaks related to contaminated food have increased in recent years. These include recent cases of hepatitis A linked to fresh strawberries and several cases of E. coli outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce. The terms “recall” and “outbreak” can be very confusing since they are commonly ...

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]]> 19414 USDA Announces Assistance for On-Farm Food Safety Expenses for Specialty Crop Growers https://specialtycropindustry.com/usda-announces-assistance-for-on-farm-food-safety-expenses-for-specialty-crop-growers/ Wed, 22 Jun 2022 10:45:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=18943 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) intends to provide up to $200 million in assistance for specialty crop producers who incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses to obtain or renew a food safety certification in calendar years 2022 or 2023. USDA’s new Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program will ...

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]]> 18943 N.C. State Extension to Host Produce Safety Field Days https://specialtycropindustry.com/n-c-state-extension-to-host-produce-safety-field-days/ Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=17929 North Carolina State Extension will host two produce safety field days in April. One will be held at the Horticultural Crops Research Station in Faison on April 6. The other will be held at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River on April 13. Both programs are free and will be held from 10 a.m. to ...

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]]> 17929 Sanitation, Documentation Key Management Strategies for Food Safety https://specialtycropindustry.com/sanitation-documentation-key-management-strategies-for-food-safety/ Wed, 09 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=17226 By Clint Thompson Sometimes one bad apple can spoil a bunch. For a specialty crop producer, it can mean their livelihood. Proper sanitation and documentation are essential management practices to the long-term sustainability of a farming operation. Growers need to regularly clean their packinghouse equipment while maintaining adequate records. This can prevent the recall of a large amount of produce, ...

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]]> 17226 UF/IFAS to Host Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training https://specialtycropindustry.com/uf-ifas-produce-safety-alliance-grower-training-2/ Tue, 11 Jan 2022 14:12:55 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=16807 The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Food Safety Team will host a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at the Jefferson County Extension office in Monticello, Florida. The registration deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 12. Fruit and vegetable producers interested in learning about produce safety or who need to satisfy the Food ...

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]]> 16807 Excessive Rain a Potential Food Safety Concern for Fresh Produce Growers https://specialtycropindustry.com/rain-events-food-safety-alabama/ Wed, 01 Sep 2021 09:35:00 +0000 https://vscnews.com/?p=15573 By Clint Thompson Rains from storms and other tropical events help replenish the soil moisture. However, they also provide food safety concerns for fresh produce growers. Camila Rodrigues, assistant professor and Alabama Extension specialist in Horticulture at Auburn University, says the biggest concern is with runoff. “What is around the field that could be carried around by runoff and also ...

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]]> 15573 Capitalize on Conservation Funding and Enhance Produce Safety https://specialtycropindustry.com/capitalize-on-conservation-funding-and-enhance-produce-safety/ Tue, 27 Apr 2021 12:30:00 +0000 https://vscnews.com/?p=14155 By Kristin Woods Conservation funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) can help growers implement good land stewardship practices in an economically sustainable way. While these practices may affect pathogen movement in the farm environment, they are not meant to reduce produce safety risk. Additional consideration must be given around how implementing specific practices ...

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