State Ag Department Offering Virtual On-Farm Readiness Reviews for Produce Farmers
Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 -- 9:09 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -To continue serving Wisconsin produce farmers during the public health emergency, the state's agriculture department is offering virtual On-Farm Readiness Reviews, a program that helps growers prepare to comply with the Produce Safety Rule.An OFRR is a non-regulatory assessment of a produce farm's safety practices, and the program assists producers to make sure those practices align with federal regulations. The Produce Safety Rule was created as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which passed in 2011 in an effort to shift U.S. supply safety efforts from response to prevention. Last year, the Safe Wisconsin Produce team conducted 32 in-person OFRRs at produce farms.
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Food and Drug Administration in March temporarily suspended on-site visits to slow the spread of the virus. OFRRs are voluntary and come at no cost to producers. During the assessment, DATCP will review what does and does not align with federal regulations and, if necessary, guide producers through resources to learn more about best practices.
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