On-Farm Readiness Reviews Offered to Fruit and Vegetable Growers

By Joe Hannan

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer voluntary, on-farm assessments to Iowa fruit and vegetable growers in preparation for Food and Drug Administration farm inspections conducted under the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule.

The On-Farm Produce Safety Team will offer voluntary On-Farm Readiness Reviews to farms that grow, harvest, pack and hold vegetables and fruit for human consumption. 

The purpose of the OFRR process is to:

• Prepare Iowa farmers for implementation of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
• Provide guidance on how to implement practices to prepare individual farms in compliance with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
• Allow growers to ask farm-specific questions about produce safety.

The On-Farm Readiness Reviews are free, voluntary and take less than two hours to complete. 

There are two requirements for interested growers: 

1. At least one person from the farm must have been trained and received the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training certificate.
2. On-Farm Readiness Reviews are done when produce is being grown, harvested or post-harvest handled.

“If you are a covered farm under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, there is a good chance you will receive an inspection this year. An OFRR is designed to prepare you for that inspection,” said Joe Hannan, commercial horticulture field specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “An OFRR is free, voluntary and kept confidential.”