FREE WORKSHOP: Integrating Organic and Food Safety Requirements When Using Soil Amendments

Managing produce safety and organic requirements can be challenging, and the regulatory frameworks for both the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) and the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) can be complex. This one-day workshop will help agriculture professionals to more effectively support their organic produce farmers by demystifying the interplay between these two regulatory requirements. Some of these challenges can be solved by equipping organic growers with better evidence-based guidance and technologies, but other obstacles result from contradictions between food safety and organic regulations. Using soil amendments as a model to demonstrate how to comply with the PSR and NOP requirements, this interactive workshop will use presentations and activities to explore where the programs overlap and diverge.

This is a FREE in-person workshop!

Refreshments and a catered lunch included

Speakers

Mallory Krieger, Director, OATS

Donna Clements, PSA Coordinator, Produce Safety Alliance

Dr. Elizabeth A. Bihn, Director, Produce Safety Alliance

AGENDA

8:30 am Registration

9:00 am Welcome and Introductions

9:30 am Managing Produce Safety on Organic Farms - review of the USDA National Organic Program and  FSMA Produce Safety Rule

10:45 am Managing Organic Soil Amendments While Meeting Food Safety Goals

12:00 pm Lunch - catered

1:00 pm Local Considerations on Food Safety and Organic Certification

1:30 pm Assessing Produce Safety Risk with Soil Amendment Models

2:45 pm Supporting Soil Amendment Use Through Additional Practices

4:00 pm Adjourn

Developed in collaboration with: The Organic Center, Produce Safety Alliance, OATS, University of Rhode Island, UC Davis, University of Georgia

This Project is funded by the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), USDA NIFA, under award number 2023-51300-40950