Extension to offer last produce safety grower training opportunity in May
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
April 14, 2025
Fast Facts:
- Training session on May 15 will be last offered by extension until program receives new funding
- $25 to register, deadline May 12
- Register at formstack.com/forms/psa_faulkner
(487 words)
(Newsrooms: With graphic)
CONWAY, Ark. — On May 15, the Cooperative Extension Service will offer its last produce safety grower training until a new funding opportunity is secured for the program. Sarah Bakker, extension food systems and food safety program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said attendance is critical for farmers’ success.
“This will be our last training session until we are able to secure a new funding opportunity or set up the program as fee-based,” said Amanda Philyaw Perez, extension associate professor of food systems and food safety specialist for the Division of Agriculture. "Currently, we charge $25 for the training, which covers food and beverages. However, without program support, we will likely need to charge several hundred dollars per attendee.”
The training will take place from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Faulkner County Extension office at 844 Faulkner Street in Conway, Arkansas. Participants must register by May 12 at uada.formstack.com/forms/psa_faulkner. The cost is $25 to attend, and attendance is limited to 20 participants.
For fresh produce farms, the Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA, Produce Safety rule sets mandatory federal standards for growing, harvesting, packing and holding produce. Bakker said most produce farms are affected by this rule. Growers who attend the training will receive a certificate of completion, which satisfies the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Bakker said growers should secure their certification before the program is suspended, as Arkansas fruit and vegetable growers are still required to meet FSMA Produce Safety Rule standards.
“The 2011 FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act introduced regulations to protect public health by preventing food-safety incidents instead of reacting to them after they occur,” Bakker said. “This way, we can reduce financial risk to farmers and protect the public by ensuring a safe food supply.”
The training will cover new regulations for fruit and vegetable producers, including information about agricultural water, soil amendments, worker health and hygiene, wildlife management and more.
Program suspended due to funding cuts
"Through a partnership between the Division of Agriculture and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, this federally funded cooperative agreement has been vital in helping the state’s produce industry meet federal standards since 2017,” Perez said.
Perez said the produce safety team at the Division of Agriculture has trained approximately 500 local growers and industry service providers on the Produce Safety Rule’s Good Agricultural Practices and provided “valuable on-farm visits to assist growers in preparing for federal inspections.
“However, due to recent federal funding cuts, this essential outreach and training program will conclude on June 30,” Perez said. “With increasing food safety outbreaks across the country, the loss of this program marks a significant change for the state’s agricultural community.”
Perez will still be available to help growers with technical questions about produce safety. For more information on these changes or to seek additional support, contact Greg Alexander, produce safety program manager for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, at 501-225-1598, or Perez at 501-671-2228.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact Sarah Bakker at sbakker@uada.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
@RKHall_
501-671-2061