The overall theme of this roundtable is: “How to Assist Fruit and Vegetable Growers and Processors Comply with the FSMA Produce Safety and Preventive Controls Human for Food Rules”.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, recently, funded a national and four regional centers, through a food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance grant program, as a mechanism to support stakeholder education. The centers are funded to provide training, education and technical assistance, that is consistent with the standards being established under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), to owners and operators of small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, small food processors, and small fruit and vegetables merchant wholesalers affected by FSMA requirements.  Each regional center has conducted needs assessments on what the training needs are for growers and processors and will manage and coordinate regionally appropriate assistance programs for these stakeholders. 

Roundtable panelists will focus on true educational needs of the target growers and processors in the U.S. and how educators are beginning to meet these needs.  They will also share early evaluation data from center activities and new educational materials that have been developed in response to needs. Participants will leave session knowing the research gaps and what extension curriculum tools are available for growers and processors wanting to be in compliant with FSMA.