Produce Safety Rule Team
PSA Lead Trainers
Norman E. Barnett
Norman Barnett is a Training Officer for the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Norm came to AZDA after a 26 year career in food safety with Fry's Food & Drug Stores, a Kroger Company. Norm was the company liaison with the FDA, USDA, and all environmental health departments within the state of Arizona. Norm also managed the corporate recall program, facilitated all food safety training and the cleaning/sanitation programs with vendor, Ecolab/Kay Chemical. Since 2017, Norm has assisted with the state-wide implementation of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule with AZDA. As a Training Officer, he works directly with Arizona Growers, Harvesters, Packers and Holders of fresh produce. He performs Grower Training Courses, On-Farm Readiness Reviews and statewide educational outreach. Norm is a committee member with the University of Arizona’s Food Safety Consortium. He holds current membership with AZEHA & has served as a former board member. Additionally, Norm is credentialed by the FDA as a state agent commissioned to perform activities in Arizona relating to produce.
Email: [email protected]
Natalie A. Brassill, M.S.
Natalie A. Brassill, M.S. is an Assistant in Extension at the University of Arizona, Maricopa Agricultural Research Center in Maricopa, AZ. Ms. Brassill is an Environmental Scientist who conducts Research in Water Quality. She earned her Master’s Degree in Environmental Microbiology from the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2013. Ms. Brassill focuses on research and outreach education in the field of surface water quality used for irrigation and recreation as well as wastewater and water reuse. She has taught lectures in both water quality and food safety including hands on workshops on farm and in classrooms across Arizona. She brings her passion for water and the outdoors to the work that she performs for University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Ms. Brassill has also conducted research at the Yuma Agriculture Center in the field of fresh produce safety and post-harvest microbiology. She currently works in the field of water quality microbiology pertaining to food safety and conducts state wide research and outreach.
EMail: [email protected]
PSDA Trainers:
Valentin Casillas
Valentin Casillas is a Training Officer for the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Valentin was hired by AZDA in 2021 and comes with 5 years of experience with Department of Labor Laws, regulations, policies and procedures on State and Federal Level. Valentin received several awards for providing passion to serve impacting thousands of Migrant Seasonal Farm Workers. During this time Valentin conducted outreach to farms across Arizona to reach out to H-2A and Domestic Farm Workers and Employers to provide guidance and tools regarding worker/employer rights and responsibility. In 2018 & 2019 Valentin and his team received the Arizona Department of Economic Security Team Award for those efforts. Valentin brings his passion for our farmers and farmworkers and is committed to working with Growers, Harvesters, Packers and Holders to provide state-wide implementation of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Shujuan (Lucy) Li
Dr. Shujuan (Lucy) Li is an Associate in Extension at the University of Arizona. She is based at the Maricopa Agricultural Center, and coordinates the Public Health Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program and is also a trainer for the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. Dr. Li and her team integrate food safety into the overall public health IPM program, work with collaborators and stakeholders to identify food safety education needs, and leverage grant supported projects for the protection of public health. She is PI on several projects relating to promoting IPM and food safety practices and increasing accessibility of resources among underserved communities. Dr. Li received her Doctor’s Degree in Entomology from the Department of Entomology at Purdue University in 2007. Her 27+ years of experience spans multiple fields of entomology and environmental management programs including plant protection, molecular biology, vector control, agricultural IPM, school and housing IPM, public health IPM, and food safety.
Email: [email protected]
Channah Rock, PhD
Dr. Channah Rock is an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona in the Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science and also maintains a joint appointment as a Water Quality Specialist with UA Cooperative Extension. Dr. Rock is PI on several projects relating to microbial evaluation of water quality for the protection of public health as well as promoting water reuse as a safe and practical resource for the Southwest United States. Dr. Rock is based at the Maricopa Agricultural Center and hosts a Statewide Water Quality Research and Extension Program.
Email: [email protected]
Danielle Runion, M.S.
Danielle Runion, M.S. is the Program Manager for the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) at the Arizona Department of Agriculture in the Citrus, Fruit and Vegetable Division. Danielle received her Master's Degree in Soil Science from the Department of Crop and Soil Science at Oregon State University (OSU) in 2018. Ms. Runion taught lectures and facilitated labs at OSU on the fundamental soil processes and properties. Her research at OSU primarily focused on improving agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions by increasing the water retention quantity in sandy soil. Currently she focuses on produce safety outreach and education while further developing the PSR Program.
Email: [email protected]
Julia Canizales, M.S.
Julia Canizales, MS is an Assistant in Extension Spanish Language Food Safety Associate who works for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Yuma, AZ. Ms. Canizales has over six years’ experience working in the food and agriculture industry with a Master’s Degree in Earth Sciences and a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics. Her experience includes working with growers, harvesters, and cooling facilities. She has worked in sanitation, quality control and food safety for a variety of fresh produce companies in the Western United States and helped to pass LGMA and Primus Audits. Ms. Canizales comes to the University of Arizona with previous experience not only working with growers, harvesters and cooling facilities but also training workers in food safety and product management in those sectors. She leads trainings for adults in food safety, food security and good agriculture practices. In her position at the University of Arizona Ms. Canizales is conducting outreach education for adults who work in fresh produce and is helping to educate harvest crews about food safety risks and best practices in the Spanish Language. Ms. Canizales enjoys teaching and working outdoors in agriculture and helping adults learn complex concepts that help improve food safety and protect public health.
Email: [email protected]
AZDA Produce Safety Rule Inspection Team:
Sade Gigante
Sade Gigante is a Produce Safety Rule Inspector with the Arizona Department of Agriculture in the Citrus, Fruit, and Vegetable Division based out of Tucson, AZ. Originally from Jacksonville FL, Sade moved to Arizona in 2011 as a teenager and fell in love with Arizona’s diverse geography, climate, and beautiful sunsets. Sade received her B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Arizona in 2020. She has been with the department for 2 years and has had the pleasure of helping Arizona’s stakeholders with food safety related topics. Sade uses her experience to help keep consumers safe from pathogens of human concern. Her aim is to promote good agricultural practices for the growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fresh produce. Sade’s passion for produce safety has only continued to grow and she strives to provide education and guidance to produce farms across Arizona. Sade is devoted to Arizona’s agricultural industries and is doing her part to improve food safety throughout the state.
Email: [email protected]
Bradley Zittlow
Bradley was born and raised in the farming community of Salinas, California where he developed a passion for agriculture. His career in the produce industry began soon after high school when he began working as a Ground Inspector performing raw produce quality inspections in the Salinas, San Juaquin, and Imperial Valleys of California as well as in Yuma, AZ. This led to a position as Quality Control with a Grower/Shipper and finally 11 years as Field Food Safety & QA Specialist with a Grower/Shipper. Bradley has been with the Arizona Department of Agriculture for over 2 years and is currently based Yuma, Arizona. He enjoys building relationships with produce farmers across the state of Arizona.
Email: [email protected]
Arizona's Spanish Language Partners
Spanish Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course
Remote delivery courses | Click Here for Upcomping Courses
Cost for Arizona Farms will be covered by the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
Contact Information: Davis Blasini, Produce Safety Alliance Spanish-Language Extension Associate
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 607-881-1941
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