August 26, 2025

Good day PSA Newsletter subscribers!

Wow, summer is moving right along as we find ourselves at the end of August! The PSA team has enjoyed getting to see so many people in-person this summer, most recently at IAFP. The PSA team is so thankful for these continued collaborations, and everyone is very excited to get started planning programs and collaborations for the upcoming year. You can find a few of those training opportunities in this newsletter, as well as updates on PSA International Engagement, a few professional development opportunities and ways to continue to remain involved with the PSA. As always, we love hearing from every one of you, so if there is anything you need, please get in contact with one of the PSA team members. 

Sincerely,

The PSA Team

International Engagement

This season has been bustling with activity, marked by our dedication to enhancing food safety knowledge across Latin America focused on those that import fresh produce into the United States.

Our team successfully delivered five PSA Grower Trainings (GT) and is currently hosting one PSA Train-the-Trainer course, reaching more than 150 participants, including growers exporting berries, cantaloupe, dragon fruit, avocado, mango, onion, and citrus to the United States from Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Argentina.

This summer, we also had the opportunity to mentor 19 PSA trainers who collaborated closely with our Spanish Language Extension Associates to thoroughly review their chosen module, receive comprehensive, supplemental teaching materials, and practice delivering their presentations in one of the five GT courses. We believe that these mentoring sessions will enhance their teaching skills and prepare them if they decide to apply to become PSA Lead Trainers in the future. 

Reflecting on this busy summer, we are filled with gratitude for the Spanish-speaking communities that continue to support our mission. Their engagement and commitment to food safety education inspire us to create impactful learning experiences.

Thank you for being part of our journey. We look forward to sharing more updates as we continue this important work!

FSMA Produce Safety Rule Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Update Webinar, On-Demand Options

On-Demand Options

The PSA has created an English and Spanish On-Demand Video option for those that would like to get the Revised Subpart E information right away at their convenience. Please visit the PSA Website to view the recorded video in English or Spanish. A certificate of completion is emailed to participants that view the entire session and fill out the Qualtrics link.

Grower Traceability Opportunity

The PSA Team actively tracks developments related to the FSMA Food Traceability Rule (a.k.a. FSMA 204) and serves on several industry working committees so we can share accurate information with growers as they prepare to comply with Food Traceability Rule requirements. Following up on the compliance date information previously shared, on August 6, 2025 FDA published a proposed Rule to formally extend the compliance date until July 20, 2028. We wanted to make you aware of an opportunity to test one traceability system. The PSA Team is not endorsing this system, just sharing this information to make sure you are aware.

GS1-US standards are a system that industry uses in conjunction with barcodes to track product in the food system. The system is one of the industry standards being adapted for the Food Traceability Rule, in part through the Produce Traceability Initiative. The new system tool being tested relies on SMS text messaging. The beta test begins mid-September, lasts for about 5 weeks, and participants will have access to the needed GS1-US codes (which normally cost money) while participating in the test.

For more information, contact Mike Fabrizio at GS1-US (mfabrizio@gs1us.org) or fill out the form at this link. Again, neither is there a requirement to participate nor does the PSA Team endorse this system, but some growers may be interested in engaging with this opportunity.

Professional Development

NCR FSMA Fall Professional Development Event

Save the date for the NCR FSMA Fall Professional Development Event, October 2-3, 2025. The event will be in Northfield, MN (40 miles south of Minneapolis), and some parts will be offered virtually as well. Registration costs $75, which includes two lunches.

The room block is only available until September 1, so you must make your hotel reservation early to get the cheaper rate.

The event will include tips for keeping grower education engaging, pre-harvest water updates, hands-on activities, and two farm tours. The event is for anyone who works with the Produce Safety Rule- educators, technicians, inspectors, and program managers.

Upcoming PSA Trainings

PSA Trainer Directory

As a reminder, please remember to update your information in our Trainer Directory if you have changed positions and your contact information needs to be updated. You can do so using the following link: https://cals.cornell.edu/produce-safety-alliance/update-my-entry-trainers-only

Team Updates

Interested in receiving PSA Spanish-only opportunities and updates?

Click below to be tagged to receive occasional emails in Spanish. You’ll continue to receive our main newsletter as usual.

Educators' Email List:

Reminder: If you are a PSA Trainer, extension educator, or produce safety leader in your community, please sign up for the Educators' Email List. There are a lot of new resources related to Subpart E and other relevant topics that will be discussed in the upcoming months!