From the desk of
THE PRODUCE SAFETY TEAM
September 26th, 2021
Working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service
Emily Hale
Produce Safety Technician
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) was born out the tragedy of the Dust Bowl with goals of restoring the land and preventing future land erosion. Today the agency offers technical and financial assistance to producers and landowners who are looking to implement an array of conservation practices with agency guidance.
NRCS is an agency of the USDA and you can often find them co-located with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in county field offices. You can locate your local NRCS office using this link.

For farmers unfamiliar with conservation or working with NRCS, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a great program to start with. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program can help farmers get their feet wet by providing technical assistance and funding for the implementation of around 200 introductory conservation practices that can help to preserve the soil, create habitat for wildlife, and extend the growing season. 
Connections between Conservation and Produce Safety
Landen Tetil
Produce Safety Technician
Put NRCS conservation programs to work for your farm to reduce food safety risks and conserve resources. Here are some of the ways NRCS can help you achieve your goals!
Meet Jennifer Wiegand, Our Newest Produce Safety Technician!
Jennifer brings several years of Quality Assurance and Food Safety experience from a variety of industries including pharmaceutical, fruit, and baking. As a Michigan native, she graduated from Saginaw Valley State University with a B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science and a minor in Chemistry. Jennifer’s main focus as a Produce Safety Technician with the Manistee Conservation District is to provide local produce growers free and confidential technical assistance to help manage produce safety risks on their farms. She serves Manistee, Benzie, Leelanau, Grand Traverse, and Antrim Counties. She recently relocated to Northern Michigan and enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, and discovering new places to explore nature and visit local establishments and small businesses.

[email protected]  | Office: (231)889-9666 | Cell: (989)274-9241
Produce Safety Texting Service
Farm worker produce safety training does not always have to be formal or time intensive. In support of on-farm worker training, the Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team, in collaboration with Michigan State University Extension and Ferris State University, has launched a free worker training texting service.

Farm workers and supervisors can sign up to receive a text once a week that features a short message, graphic, video clip, or other resource related to produce safety. In addition, farm supervisors can opt in to receive a quarterly report on who was trained, the topics covered, and the dates the texts were sent in order to comply with the FSMA record keeping requirement.
Online Produce Safety Supervisor Training
Michigan State University Extension is offering a course for farm supervisors to provide support as they navigate the requirements of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. This course will provide supervisors with information about the Produce Safety Rule, and how to use relevant resources to support their farm's compliance with the rule. Space is limited, so register today!
Sign up today for an On-Farm Readiness Review!
This free, voluntary, and confidential service is your next step towards FSMA compliance
Many growers of fresh produce want to know how ready they are with regards to being FSMA compliant. In an effort to get people ready for a full implementation of FSMA, Cooperative Extension has developed an On-Farm Readiness Review program. This article helps growers walk through the next steps.
Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team
1715 Lansing Ave, Jackson, MI 49202 | MSU Extension MACD Produce Safety Technicians
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