Remote Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course
Event Details
Date
February 17 - February 18, 2025
Time
8:00am - 12:30pm both days
Location
Zoom
Cost
Registration : $10.00
(addl attendee $10.00 ea.)
Host
Eastern New York Commercial HorticultureREMOTE Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course
Monday, Feb. 17 and Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025
8 am - 12:30 PM
Held remotely via Zoom (online)
Registration: $10 per person, open to NY state participants only
Includes printed course manual ($60 value), certificate of course completion ($35 value) and online food safety resources.
Who Should Attend and Why
All produce growers are encouraged to attend this course to learn more about food safety practices recommended for all farms. This course contains NEW information contained in the finalized Subpart E rule on agricultural water. 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.' If you've already earned your PSA certificate, retaking this course is a great way to refresh your memory and learn about the new water requirements!
After attending the entire 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 course.
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course
The trainers will spend approximately seven hours of instruction time covering content contained in 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), including NEW REVISED water rules.
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
Course Requirements
Note that this is a remote delivery (Zoom) course. Participants must have access to a device (computer or tablet) connected to broadband internet with functioning microphone and video camera capabilities. High-speed internet (>25 Mbps download, >3 Mbps upload) is required. Participant engagement will be monitored throughout the course via audio, visual, and written methods. In order to receive a certificate of course completion, participants must be engaged and present for the entirety of all modules.
Please provide the address at which you will be able to receive your course manual the week of Feb. 10. Manuals will be shipped to you via UPS (PO Boxes not accepted). To receive a certificate of course completion, you must have your course manual on hand during both days of our course.
Questions?
For questions regarding course content and to request accommodations, contact Elisabeth Hodgdon at eh528@cornell.edu or (518) 650-5323. Requests for accommodations must be submitted prior to Feb. 1.
Funding to subsidize course costs was provided by the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and the USDA Food Safety Outreach Program.
Agenda
Monday, Feb. 17th
8:00 AM Check In, Test Audio and Video
8:15 AM Welcome, Orientation to Zoom, Introductions, and Course Expectations
Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP
8:30 AM Module 1: Introduction to Produce Safety
Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP
9:30 AM Module 2: Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
Natasha Field, CCE ENYCHP
10:30 AM Break
10:45 AM Module 3: Soil Amendments
Ethan Grundberg, CCE ENYCHP
11:30 AM Module 4: Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
Jennifer Stanton, CCE ENYCHP
12:15 PM Day 1 Wrap-Up, Questions
Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP
12:30 PM Adjourn
Tuesday, Feb. 18th
7:45 AM Check In, Test Audio and Video (Optional)
8:00 AM Day 1 Review and Questions, Overview of Day 2
Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP
8:15 AM Module 5: Agricultural Water - Part I: Production Water
Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP
9:15 AM Module 5: Agricultural Water - Part 2: Postharvest Water
Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP
10:15 AM Break
10:25 AM Module 6: Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
Crystal Stewart-Courtens, CCE ENYCHP
11:15 AM Module 7: How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
Lindsey Pashow, CCE Harvest NY
12:00 PM What to Expect After the Training
Melanie Donlon, NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets
12:15 PM Final Questions, Closing Statements, and Evaluations
Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP
12:30 PM Adjourn


Upcoming Events
Blueberry Pruning Workshop

March 26, 2025
Altona, NY
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
10 am - noon
Irona Berry Haven
1897 Alder Bend Rd, Altona, NY 12910
$10 per farm
1 DEC credit requested in categories 1A, 10, and 22
Join us at Jeffrey Guerin's berry farm for a morning of pruning demonstrations, pest and disease identification, and more. Bring your own pruners so that you can learn by doing! Dress warmly for our workshop, which will be held outdoors. In the case of severe weather on the 26th, the workshop will be held at the same time on the 27th. Light refreshments will be provided.
Champlain Valley Apple Pest Management Refresher

March 27, 2025
Chazy, NY
Join us in Chazy on March 27th for some pest management updates, and to receive some additional pesticide recertification credits for your farm's certified applicators! We will be offering 2.25 DEC recertification credits in categories 22, 10, and 1A. Light refreshments will be provided, and lunch following the meeting (sponsored by Valent) is optional.
$5 per employee
Blind Industry White Wine Tasting Workshop
April 1, 2025 : Blind Industry White Wine Tasting Workshop
Germantown, NY
This event is a blind wine tasting for ENY grape industry members to get feedback from fellow growers and Cornell Enologists on unfinished white wines (hybrid, vinifera, etc.)
We respectfully request that only professional winemakers or commercial vineyard owners attend, as space is limited. Limit two wines per winery/vineyard.
Pre-registration is required. For questions, please contact Jeremy Schuster at jds544@cornell.edu