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.
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.
More Food Safety Content
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
Tarping for Reduced Tillage Workshop
November 2 - November 19, 2019
Are you a vegetable farmer already using tarps? Or are you wondering if and how tarps could work best on your farm?The Cornell Small Farms Program is excited to announce a series of workshops on tarping for reduced tillage in small-scale vegetable systems, to be held in Maine and New York this fall. The Reduced Tillage (RT) project of the Cornell Small Farms Program supports farmers in adopting scale-appropriate RT practices that can lead to healthy, productive soils and greater profitability. Through the evaluation of novel tools and methods using systems-based field research and on-farm trials, the project helps farmers learn about the approaches that can work for their farm. This work is accomplished in collaboration with the University of Maine, and with support from Northeast SARE.
Winter Greens High Tunnel Tour
November 13, 2019
9:30am - 4:00pm
Willsboro, NY
Join us for a tour of overwintered high tunnel greens. Our first stop will be the Willsboro Research Farm, where we will visit our spinach nitrogen fertility experiment, discuss research results, and view a sous vide hot water seed treatment demonstration. Following an early lunch, we will carpool across the lake via the ferry to the Intervale Community Farm in Burlington, Vermont. The Intervale has been providing organic vegetables to the greater Burlington area for 30 years and has a 600 member CSA. Farm manager Andy Jones will discuss their evolving winter greens production practices, including variety selection, soil fertility, irrigation, and food safety practices. After touring their high tunnels and new wash/pack shed, we will return to Willsboro.Learn About Using the H-2A Program on Small Farms
November 18, 2019
1:30pm - 4:00pm
Schenectady, NY
Are you worried about labor next season on your farm? Are you wondering if the H-2A program will make sense on your farm?
The H-2A program allows US employers who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the US to fill temporary agricultural jobs. Join us to learn about how to use the H-2A program on small farms. Learn from US DOL H-2A staff and a CSA vegetable farmer, with experience using H-2A, about what it takes to use the program.