Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training

what to expect at the training

The trainers will spend approximately seven hours of instruction time covering content contained in these 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)
• Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
• How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

Upcoming in-person PSA Grower Trainings

Tuesday, April 1, 2025 | Fort Wayne, IN - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time | Allen County Extension Office, 4001 Crescent Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46815 | Registration deadline: 3/26/25 |  Registration is required.

 Registration

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | Versailles, IN - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time | Versailles Community Center, 128 N Main St, Versailles, IN 47042 | Registration deadline: 3/29/2025 | Registration is required.

Registration

what to expect at the training

The trainers will spend approximately seven hours of instruction time covering content contained in these 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)
• Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
• How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

Remote PSA Grower Training Requirements

All participants will need to have accessed an internet connection, speakers and a microphone, and a webcam or HD webcam. Please note that because this course is not provided "in person," a course monitor has been appointed to verify participant engagement and attendance via video for this entire course. Per the requirements of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, course participants are only eligible to receive the PSA/AFDO Certificate of Course Completion if their presence during all PSA modules can be confirmed by the course monitor. The certificate of course completion will be issued later when proof of attendance has been verified, and all paperwork has been reviewed.

Upcoming Remote PSA Grower Trainings

 Monday, March 24, 2025 | Remote - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Will be held virtually via Zoom. Participants are required to have an internet connection, speakers and a microphone, and a webcam. Participants must be present for all modules in order to receive a certificate. Attendance will be monitored via video. | Registration for this class is currently full.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 | Remote - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Will be held virtually via Zoom. Participants are required to have an internet connection, speakers and a microphone, and a webcam. Participants must be present for all modules in order to receive a certificate. Attendance will be monitored via video. | Registration deadline: 4/6/25 | Registration is required.

 Registration

Growers can schedule a private training at a location and time convenient for them. Privately scheduled trainings allow our trainers to focus on topics that directly impact the attendees’ farm operations. Participants will receive a training manual and Certificate of Course Attendance. Costing information is available upon request.

Our team will bring training materials, manuals, a projector to display training slides, and a projector screen. We ask that the host provides the following:

• 5 or more participants
• A training space large enough for our team to deliver the training material to all participants
• Any tables or chairs needed for the participants
• A power source to plug in a projector

If you have questions, or if you wish to schedule a private training session, please contact Amanda Deering at 765-494-0512 or email adeering@purdue.edu. 

This 4-hour course will provide updates for growers who have previously taken the PSA Grower Training Course, as well as review those topics that are critical to produce food safety.  Recordkeeping strategies will also be presented. Refresher courses are free but registration is required.  The only requirement is you MUST have taken the complete 8-hour PSA Grower Training. 

There are no refresher courses scheduled at this time. However, you may contact Tari Gary by emailing tgary@purdue.edu if you are interested in hosting a private refresher course.

This 2-hour program is a basic introduction to produce food safety.  Growers will learn the major areas where contamination of produce by a human pathogen may occur, and methods of managing contamination risk.  This course is designed for growers who would like a basic introduction to produce food safety. Training is free but registration is required. 

There are Food Safety Basics courses scheduled at this time. However, you may contact Tari Gary by emailing tgary@purdue.edu if you are interested in hosting a private Food Safety Basics course.

Fruit and vegetable growers are continually assessing their operations to determine where they can limit risk and increase productivity. As a result, many have expressed interest in learning more about how on-farm preharvest water treatment systems work and how they may fit within their current setup. Come for a day-long course with Safe Produce Indiana and Purdue Extension to learn about different approaches to treating water on-farm; how to implement these systems to meet requirements of the Produce Safety Rule;
and how to verify that the system is operating as intended.

Agenda
9:00-9:15 Welcome and Introductions
9:15-10:00 Module 1: Ag Water Treatment & FSMA
10:00-11:00 Module 2: Ag Water Treatment Tools
11:00-12:00 Developing On-farm Ag Water Treatment Programs
12:00-12:30 Lunch 
12:30-1:30 Implementing Ag Water Treatment on the Farm

Upcoming Courses:

There are no trainings scheduled at this time. We will post trainings as they are scheduled. Please check back soon!