Food Safety
Farmers need to take steps to minimize pathogen contamination during production and harvest of their fresh produce. They should avoid side-dressing with manure, exclude animals near fields, promote proper worker hygiene in the field, test irrigation water quality, select irrigation methods that minimize crop wetting or allows for leaves to dry quickly, clean and sanitize harvest bins, promote cleanliness at U-Pick, and keep produce cool.
As consumers demand safer food, a growing number of retailers are requiring farmers to have independent, 3rd-party inspections of farms, certifying that their fruits and vegetables are being grown, harvested and packaged using Good Agricultural Practices.
FOOD SAFETY CATEGORIES
Please Consider Commenting on the Proposed Water Rule as part of FSMA
Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
As many of you have likely seen, the FDA has proposed new regulations for the Agricultural Water Rule as part of the "Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption Relating to Agricultural Water". On Friday March 11th at 11am we invite you to attend a webinar co-hosted by NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets and NASDA where FDA will provide an overview of the proposed rule and answer any questions you might have. The zoom link information is below. There is no need to register to attend, simply click on the link when it's time.
Spray Safe, Spray Well: Lessons Learned
Ethan Grundberg, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Thanks to support from a Northeast Extension Risk Management Education (NERME) award, ENYCHP vegetable specialists were able to offer a free bilingual workshop series this winter focused on the fundamentals of pesticide safety and efficacy for beginning and organic farmers. For those of you who missed the live series, but would like to access the information that was shared from the guest presenters, all of the "Spray Safe, Spray Well" workshops are available on the ENYCHP YouTube channel.
Using Sous-Vide Machines for Hot Water Seed Treatment
Elisabeth Hodgdon, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Hot water seed treatment is a task that often falls on the list of "should do's" in the winter and early spring, but sometimes falls by the wayside. Treating seeds in a hot water bath can help prevent serious bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases by killing pathogens harbored within the seed. The practice is recommended for both seed collected on the farm and purchased from commercial sources. However, it's sometimes difficult to know which seeds to invest in treating, and whether it's worth the time or cost. In the past, hot water seed treatment at home meant investing in rather costly laboratory hot water baths or taking a chance on less reliable stovetop methods. With the popularity and availability of "sous vide" machines, hot water seed treatment is easier, and more predictable than ever.
Start the Season off on the Right Foot with Food Safety Training for Farm Worker
Elisabeth Hodgdon, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The beginning of the growing season is one of the most hectic times of the year. It's a race between weather events to get fields prepared and crops in the ground. New employees are settling into their positions. Before things get too busy, it's important to provide food safety training to workers so that good habits are formed early in the season. For farms covered by the federal Food Safety Modernization Act's (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, there are specific requirements for worker training.
Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Food Manufacturing Facilities
Dan Donahue, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
DRAFT guidance sheet from the NY Department of Health and NYS Ag & Markets: Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Food Manufacturing Facilities or Food Retail Stores for COVID-19
EPA Worker Protection Standard Update
The updated Worker Protection Standard took effect on January 2, 2017. The NYS DEC has the right toconduct inspections to certify that growers are in compliance with regulations for agricultural pesticides including organics. Inspections include WPS, record keeping, and pesticide storage. Read more about what you need to know to comply with the changes.
FSMA Produce Safety Rule FAQ's
Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
On behalf of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, this article presents information on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and answers frequently-asked questions from producers.
2017 Winter Tree Fruit School Presentations
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Presentations given at the 2017 Eastern NY Commercial Tree Fruit Schools are available by clicking on the following links.
Valuable Resources for Food Safety Information
Looking for more information about Food Safety? Follow the links below to find more valuable resources:
Presentations - 2016 Winter Tree Fruit Schools
Sarah Elone, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Presentations given at the 2016 Commercial Tree Fruit Schools in Lake George (LG) and Kingston in the Hudson Valley (HV) are available by clicking on the following links.
Food Safety Considerations and Design for Packing Sheds
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Presentations - 2015 Winter Tree Fruit Schools
Presentations given at the 2015 Commercial Tree Fruit Schools in Lake George (LG) and Kingston in the Hudson Valley (HV) are available by clicking on the following links.
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
Agricultural Supervisory Leadership Certificate Program
June 17, 2022
June 23, 2022
June 30, 2022
July 7, 2022
July 14, 2022
July 21, 2022
July 28, 2022
Supervisors are critical to the success of farm businesses. They have a major impact both on employees' daily work experiences and on the production performance of the business. The agricultural Supervisory Leadership certificate helps farm supervisors and managers learn and apply human resource management practices and leadership skills that foster rewarding workplaces and drive business results. Confident managers who thoughtfully apply leadership and management skills improve employee performance, develop teams, reduce employee turnover, and increase employee engagement. The courses within the certificate program will offer extensive practice and engagement activities to build confidence and skill sets.
Getting the Most Out of Every Pass - Calibrating Airblast Sprayers for Best Results
June 29 - June 30, 2022
University of New Hampshire Extension Field Specialist Emeritus, George Hamilton will demonstrate the importance of and best techniques to calibrate air blast sprayers. Proper calibration will ensure effective, efficient, economical and legal spraying. Inadequate spray coverage is usually the cause of poor spray efficacy and additional spray applications. Overuse of some sprays results in unhealthy residues and can lead to fines.
Calibration should be done several times each season, or when you incorporate any new equipment or repairs - from the tractor to the nozzle. Join us for a refresher or send new employees for training. This workshop is open for any grower that relies on an airblast sprayer to deliver plant protectants to fruit or vegetable crops.
Peru Weed Management and Soil Health Field Day
July 20, 2022
Peru, NY
Join us in Peru on July 20th as we discuss orchard weed and soil management! Speakers will be joining us from across Cornell's research and extension teams. Topics will include the results of our herbicide timing trials, new vision-guided technologies for orchard weed spraying, organic weed management options, soil health demonstrations, and a discussion on our statewide orchard soil health survey. DEC credits are pending for this event.