#Foodsafety

Two people talking at a table. Image by Edwin Remsberg

Image of people at a workshop by Edwin Remsberg.jpg

Harvesting crops with combine by Edwin Remsberg.jpg

Crop being hand harvested by Edwin Remsberg.jpg

Image of two people talking in front of a hoop house by Edwin Remsberg.jpg

Please sign up to receive email updates of new content (your email will be kept private and not sold). If you do sign up, you will get an email to confirm your email address that may end up in your junk mail folder. Email updates will not start till you confirm your email.

If you have issues or thoughts on topics that should address, click here to send them.

Note: This website is intended to provide general information about legal issues, crop insurance, farm policy, and other risk management issues and should not be construed as providing legal advice. It should not be cited or relied upon as legal authority. For advice about how the issues discussed here might apply to your individual situation, you should consult an attorney.

Welcome to the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog, provided by the University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and features the work of the Maryland Crop Insurance Education program and the University of Maryland - MPowering the State's Agriculture Law Education Initiative, a University of Maryland Extension Signature Program. This blog provides readers with information on risk management issues important to Maryland agriculture, upcoming events, and new materials that may interest readers.

FDA PROPOSES CHANGES TO PRODUCE SAFETY RULE AGRICULTURAL WATER REQUIREMENTS

Nicole Cook

Jan 11
4 min

FDA PROPOSES CHANGES TO PRODUCE SAFETY RULE AGRICULTURAL WATER REQUIREMENTS

This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. On December 6, 2021, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) published a new proposed rule that revises the pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce (other than sprouts) (Subpart E of the Produce Safety Rule (PSR)). This is the latest step in the FDA’s implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The FDA is holding two virtual public meetings abou

57 views0 comments

What does the FDA think is a “reasonably foreseeable hazard” in produce safety?

Nicole Cook

Jun 2, 2021
4 min

What does the FDA think is a “reasonably foreseeable hazard” in produce safety?

This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Farms subject to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule are required to take all measures reasonably necessary to identify, and not harvest, produce that is likely to be contaminated with a “known or reasonably foreseeable hazard.” But, what qualifies as a “reasonably foreseeable hazard?” According to the FDA, growers in central California should now consider a particular strain of E. coli a

96 views0 comments

Need A Farm Food Safety Plan? Tune In to Final Food Safety Friday “How-To” Webinar

Megan Todd

Oct 20, 2020
3 min

Need A Farm Food Safety Plan? Tune In to Final Food Safety Friday “How-To” Webinar

This is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. This year members of the Maryland Food Safety Network undertook an ambitious task, namely to breakdown the Produce Safety Rule into a monthly "how-to" webinar series. The series will culminate with a final webinar next month (November 20th at noon) to help growers take what they have learned in each webinar of the series and put into their own food safety plan. The Maryland Food Safety Networ

16 views1 comment

Nicole Cook

Sep 1, 2020
4 min

A Time To Prepare

This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. September is National Preparedness Month (as declared by the Department of Homeland Security) and National Food Safety Education Month (as declared by the Centers for Disease Control). As we continue to combat COVID-19 and other disasters, this September is an especially good time to update (or create) your farm’s food safety and disaster plans! Keep reading for tips and resources to

33 views0 comments

Need Help Applying Preventative Food Safety Practices?

Sarah Everhart

May 26, 2020
3 min

Need Help Applying Preventative Food Safety Practices?

By Sarah Everhart The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. In my recent post on Produce Safety & COVID-19, I provided a brief overview of an exciting new food safety webinar series and this post will provide a more thorough description of why the series was created and how growers can benefit from tuning in. The Maryland Food Safety Network is hosting a monthly webinar series for farm operators on how to comply with key provi

6 views0 comments

Sarah Everhart

May 5, 2020
4 min

Produce Food Safety & COVID-19

By Sarah Everhart The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. We all need some good news these days, right? So let’s start with the good news. The good news is that according to FDA, there is currently no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets or by touching an object with the virus on it and then subsequently touching your mouth, n

9 views0 comments

Have You Taken The Food Safety Training You Need?

Sarah Everhart

Dec 17, 2019
2 min

Have You Taken The Food Safety Training You Need?

By Sarah Everhart The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. There will be several Produce Safety Rule Trainings throughout the state this winter, hosted by a team of experts from the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the University of Maryland, for producers who need to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Farmers who grow produce that is often consumed raw (e.g. berries, leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers

1 view0 comments

FSMA Inspections Are Underway. Are You Ready?

Nicole Cook

Nov 19, 2019
3 min

FSMA Inspections Are Underway. Are You Ready?

By Nicole Cook This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Nearly 10 years after the Federal Food Safety Modernization Act, or “FSMA,” was signed into law, and nearly 5 years after the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) published the final Produce Safety Rule (“PSR”) implementing FSMA, the new routine inspections to verify compliance with the PSR have begun. Routine inspections of produce farms (other than sprout operations

1 view0 comments

Recent FDA Guidance on FSMA Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls Rule

Nicole Cook

Oct 23, 2018
7 min

Recent FDA Guidance on FSMA Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls Rule

By Nicole Cook This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. If you’ve been following this blog for news about updates about the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), then yout know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been busy over the past year issuing new guidance on its FSMA’s Produce Safety and Preventive Controls rules. Regulatory agencies, like the FDA, issue “Guidance” and “Fact Sheets” to answer specific qu

4 views0 comments

What Happens If I Sell Someone Else’s Food and People Get Sick?

Nicole Cook

May 29, 2018
5 min

What Happens If I Sell Someone Else’s Food and People Get Sick?

By Nicole Cook This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. If you follow this blog, you know we often write about managing food safety risks identified on your farm. Most often, that means thinking about managing the risks related to the food you grow or make on your farm. Many farmers, however, also sell produce or value-added foods provided by other farms or businesses. In this post, we’ll look at how to manage the busine

130 views0 comments

FDA Releases Draft Guidance For Determining Whether A Business Qualifies As Small Business With FSMA

Nicole Cook

Mar 29, 2018
3 min

FDA Releases Draft Guidance For Determining Whether A Business Qualifies As Small Business With FSMA

By Nicole Cook The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. On March 19, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidance to assist businesses in determining whether they qualify as a “small business” under the Preventive Controls for Human Food and Preventive Controls for Animal Food regulations. The FDA published final rules on September 17, 2015, to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Hazard Ana

1 view0 comments

Admin

Feb 2, 2018
2 min

Weekly Roundup Feb. 2nd

By Sarah Fielder Warmer Winter Causing Drought in Mid-Atlantic Region Less snow this winter in the Mid-Atlantic region is leading to drought conditions according to the National Weather Service. To learn more about drought conditions in the Washington region click here http://wapo.st/2EqbXsw. First Organic Distillery Certified in Maryland McClintock Distilling is the first certified organic distillery in Maryland. The distillery is in Frederick and every aspect of the distil

0 views0 comments

Participate in UMD/MDA Environmental Sampling Program to Detect and Address On-Farm Food Safety Risk

Sarah Everhart

Jan 30, 2018
2 min

Participate in UMD/MDA Environmental Sampling Program to Detect and Address On-Farm Food Safety Risk

By Sarah Everhart The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Are you curious if there are parts of your operation that harbor food safety risks? Identifying on-farm food safety risks is not an easy task and seemingly safe features of a farm, such as a walk-in refrigerator, can contain pathogens and lead to food safety risks. To be sure that risks are identified and addressed, in addition to attending a Maryland Good Agricultur

1 view0 comments

Nicole Cook

Jan 23, 2018
8 min

FDA WON’T ENFORCE CERTAIN FSMA RULES WHILE IT SEEKS RULEMAKING

January 23, 2018 / Nicole Cook This is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. On January 4, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Industry Guidance announcing that, effective immediately, it intends not to enforce certain provisions in four of the agency’s rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and will seek rulemaking to address issues that have been raised since the FSMA rules became final. Specifica

14 views0 comments

Admin

Dec 16, 2017
2 min

Weekly Roundup Dec. 14th

By Sarah Fielder RMA Ends 10 Percent Insurance Option for Preventive Planting USDA’s Risk Management Agency announced that the +10 percent option for preventive planting will be eliminated. This crop insurance option provided coverage on input costs if weather prevented planting. Moving forward only the +5 percent option will be available. To read the announcement from RMA, click here http://bit.ly/2o11KOD. Monsanto Offers Cash Back When You Buy New Dicamba Products Mon

2 views0 comments

Admin

Dec 8, 2017
3 min

Weekly Roundup Dec. 8th

By Sarah Fielder State Agriculture Leaders Urge Poultry Growers to be on Guard for Deadly Bird Flu The Maryland Department of Agriculture is calling for a renewed effort this winter by all poultry producers to intensify their biosecurity. During this time of year, migratory waterfowl moving through Maryland present a heightened risk for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI)—a potentially devastating disease for poultry operations. To read the full press release go here: http://bi

1 view0 comments

Admin

Dec 1, 2017
2 min

Weekly Roundup Dec. 1st

By Sarah Fielder A Growing Number of Young Americans Are Leaving Desk Jobs to Farm For only the second time in the last century, the number of farmers under 35 years old is increasing, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest Census of Agriculture. Sixty-nine percent of the surveyed young farmers had college degrees — significantly higher than the general population. To read the full story go here: https://go.umd.edu/xdj Mid-Shore Farm and Forestry Succession

1 view0 comments

November Food Safety Modernization Act Trainings- Do You Need to Attend?

Sarah Everhart

Nov 8, 2017
3 min

November Food Safety Modernization Act Trainings- Do You Need to Attend?

By Sarah Everhart This is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The University of Maryland, University of Maryland Extension, and Maryland Department of Agriculture will host two Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings this fall. The first is scheduled for Monday, November 27 at the Cecil County Extension office in Elkton (register here), and the second is scheduled for Thursday, November 30 at the

0 views0 comments

Admin

Sep 1, 2017
2 min

Weekly Roundup Sept. 1st

By Sarah Fielder Injured Woman Sues Organizers of the Punkin Chunkin Championship A Delaware woman injured last year during the Punkin Chunkin Championship in Delaware has sued the organizers, the state agency in charge of checking the air cannon used, and the Discovery Channel in federal court. The plaintiff claims injuries due to the negligence of the parties involved. This comes on the heels of organizers struggling to find sponsors and potentially having to cancel this

1 view0 comments

Insurance Coverage Considerations for Foodborne Illness Liability

Admin

Jul 26, 2017
3 min

Insurance Coverage Considerations for Foodborne Illness Liability

By Alexander Belman Much can go wrong in the food business. Food can be contaminated at any point along the entire food distribution chain: from the farmer, to the distributor, to the end user including restaurants, grocery stores, and home cooks. Contaminated food can cause foodborne illnesses which can result in criminal liability (not the subject of this post) and civil legal liability. To read more about legal causes of action for foodborne illness related injuries, che

46 views0 comments