Educational Outreach
Schedule your OFRR with AZDA by clicking here to fill out the request form.
On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) Overview
Purpose: The On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) is designed to help fruit and vegetable growers assess their readiness for compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR). This confidential, non-regulatory assessment allows growers to evaluate their practices and identify areas for improvement in relation to the PSR.
Review Process: During the OFRR, a Produce Safety Rule expert from our team will:
- Schedule a meeting to visit your farm.
- Conduct a walk-through of your operations.
- Engage in a one-on-one discussion about your practices.
This is an ideal opportunity to ask questions about the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and receive feedback on your practices.
Objective: The OFRR aims to:
- Identify areas of risk and potential improvement.
- Evaluate preharvest, harvest, and post-harvest activities.
- Review food safety practices, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with the PSR.
The OFRR team typically includes a representative from the Arizona Department of Agriculture and a member of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. In some cases, additional team members may join as part of their training. If desired, you can request a representative from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to participate, and our Produce Safety Rule expert can facilitate this.
Preparation:
- Pre-Review Training: It is required that someone from your operation has attended the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) Grower Training before scheduling an OFRR. If you need to register for this course, click here. This training will help you maximize the benefit of the review and facilitate discussions about your practices as they relate to the Produce Safety Rule.
- Pre-Review Call: The Lead Reviewer will call your food safety representative to discuss details about your operation. This call allows you to address any special concerns or provide additional information. The Lead Reviewer may ask about:
- Commodities grown
- Meeting location
- Biosecurity requirements
- Visitor policies
- Activities occurring on the operation
- Number of years in production
The Lead Reviewer will also schedule the time and date of the review during this call.
Day of the Review: On the day of the review, the OFRR team will:
- Meet with the food safety representative to outline the review plan.
- Base the walk-through schedule on the day's activities.
Review Sections: The OFRR team will typically observe and discuss the following sections, though some may not be relevant to your operation:
- Worker Health and Hygiene
- Biological Soil Amendments
- Wildlife and Domestic Animals
- Pre and Post-Harvest Sanitation
- Agricultural Water
You will receive an OFRR Manual covering all sections in detail, even if some sections are not discussed during the review.
Contact Information: For any questions or additional information, please contact Norman Barnett at [email protected] or 602-542-0978.
OFRR Satisfaction Survey
The OFRR program is designed to educate farmers about the inspection process and help them become comfortable with the new requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. At the end of the review, the reviewers will provide their top three recommendations for improving the farm's food safety practices. Following the review, farmers will be provided with educational materials and resources to assist in achieving FSMA compliance. The entire review is confidential, and all notes will be left with you to ensure the protection of farm information.
After completing the On-Farm Readiness Review, please click the link below to complete an anonymous survey:
On-Farm Readiness Review Farm Satisfaction Survey
On-Demand Harvest Training for Produce Safety Compliance
Join us for specialized Spanish language training focused on the Produce Safety Rule, specifically designed for those involved in harvesting practices. Offered in partnership with the Arizona Department of Agriculture and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, our training sessions are free for Arizona farms.
Available Trainings Offered in English and Spanish language:
1. On-Demand Harvet Training
This concise, 15-minute session covers essential topics related to Good Agricultural practices (GAPs), including:
- Animal Intrusion
- Hand Washing
- Health & Hygiene
- Cross Contamination
Training takes place right in the harvest fields, making it convenient for your team to participate.
2. On-Demand Supervisor Training
Tailored for foremen and supervisors, tjhis one-hour session is coordinated with your farm's food safety personnel. Participants will learn about:
- FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR)
- Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
- Real-life scenarios supervisors may encounter in the field
Spanish Resources
Entrenamiento de cosecha
Capacitación On-Demand para cuadrillas y supervisores.
El Departamento de Agricultura de Arizona, junto con la Universidad de Arizona Cooperativa de extension, ofrece dos tipos diferentes de capacitación para las cuadrias de cosecha. Estas capacitaciones son gratuitas y están disponibles para las granjas de Arizona.
Capacitación On-Demand para cuadrias de cosecha: esta capacitación normalmente dura unos 15 minutos y puede tratar cualquier tema relacionado con las BPA, como:
- intrusión de animales
- lavado de manos
- salud e higiene
- contaminación cruzada
Las capacitaciones se llevan a cabo en los campos de cosecha, lo que facilita a los trabajadores recibir el entrenamiento.
Capacitación On-Demand de supervisores: esta capacitación se coordina con el personal de inocuidad alimentaria de su granja. El entrenamiento está dirigido a mayordomos y supervisores. Esta capacitación dura ana hora aproximadamente y cubrimos los temas de:
- PSR de FSMA
- Las BPA
- Repasamos escenarios que los supervisores pueden encontrar en el campo de cosecha.
VALENTIN CASILLAS
(602) 816-9668 | AZ Department of Ag
JULIA CANIZALES
University of Arizona Cooperative Ext
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