Training offered for produce growers

    The Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado State University Extension will be offering training classes for produce growers on the new produce safety rule across Colorado in the near future.
    Colorado produce growers can benefit from a grant the CDA received from the US Food and Drug Administration. The department has partnered with CSU Extension to offer a variety of resources to help farmers comply with the newly implemented Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule.
     CDA will use the funding to establish a produce safety program to encourage the safe production of fresh fruits and vegetables and to promote compliance with the requirements of FDA’s Produce Safety Rule. The Produce Safety Rule was published as one of several rules under FSMA in November 2015 and the largest farms will need to comply beginning in January 2018.
     CDA encourages all farmers, food processors, food transportation businesses, importers and food safety professionals to educate themselves about FSMA, which affects produce growers, food manufacturers (human and animal), food transportation and imported food. The goal of FSMA is to work to prevent food-borne illnesses.

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