Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture offering free readiness reviews ahead of new standards

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recently announced that food safety inspectors with the department are offering free on-farm readiness reviews for produce growers.

The reviews will help them ensure they meet new preventative food safety standards under the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and help ensure that a farm is ready to pass a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection. The new standards took effect for fruit and vegetable producers this season.

The readiness reviews will consist of an on-request visit from state food safety inspectors who will conduct a mock inspection to assess whether the grower is meeting new requirements for safe harvesting, handling, storage and transport of the produce grown on the farm. Each review takes approximately four hours, depending on the size of the operation.

“Our goal is for those who buy their fruits and vegetables from Pennsylvania producers to be confident that what they buy is safe,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Prevention is the best way to eliminate food safety risks, and FSMA’s increased safety standards have been a positive shift from response to prevention. Our state food safety team stands ready to support Pennsylvania producers in adjusting to the changes.”

FSMA was signed into law in 2016, and requirements are being phased in. FSMA sets new FDA requirements for businesses that grow, process, and transport food.