Do you grow, harvest, or handle fresh produce? You may be aware of recent federal regulations impacting produce growers. These new guidelines aim to improve food safety and affect everything from production to distribution. It’s important to stay informed and ensure compliance to continue delivering safe, high-quality produce.

Enacted on Jan. 4, 2011,  Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) FSMA authorizes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take a preventative approach to food safety. The law incorporates new enforcement actions to achieve higher compliance rates with preventative safety standards. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) also gives the FDA the tools to hold imported foods to the same standards as domestic foods. As part of FSMA, the FDA Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption (21 C.F.R. Part 112) --also commonly referred to as the Produce Safety Rule--establishes science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is the authoritative implementing agency of the Produce Safety Rule.

 Click here to view the Arkansas Produce Safety Rule

The Produce Rule of FSMA will require some produce growers to complete training and receive certification.  Arkansas growers will need to complete Grower Training by compliance dates based on their annual (three-year average) gross produce sales, with larger growers (>$500,000) being required to be in compliance by January 26, 2018. Smaller (>$250,000 but less than $500,000) and very small growers ($25,000 but less than $250,000) will be required to be in compliance in Jan 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Farm Information Survey (FORM)

On-Farm Consultation Request Form (FORM)

Training Resources:

To be notified about future classes contact [email protected].

Arkansas Produce Safety - On-Farm Food Safety  (UADA Extension Produce Safety)

Produce Safety Alliance (Cornell University Produce Safety Alliance)

Agricultural Water:

On May 2, 2024, the FDA published the “FSMA Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water,” which sets forth agricultural water requirements for covered produce.  

• (NEW) Final Agricultural Water Rule
• FSMA Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water 
• Requirements for Harvest and Post-Harvest Agricultural Water in Subpart E for Covered Produce Other than Sprouts 
• Agricultural Water System Inspection is Different from the Proposed Agricultural Water Assessment

Contacts:

Gregory D. Alexander, Produce Safety Program Manager,
 [email protected]

Tammy Winsor, Produce Safety Inspector,
 [email protected]

Lowell French, Produce Safety Inspector,
[email protected]

CDC/FDA Public Health Alerts

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts | FDA

Recalls & Public Health Alerts | Food Safety and Inspection Service

Questions or comments call (501)225-1598 or email [email protected]