The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Produce Safety Program (CDFA-PSP) hit the road this spring to support farmers and handlers with the latest water rule regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). As part of an ongoing educational effort, CDFA-PSP staff delivered in-person presentations and trainings across the state, focusing on pre-harvest agricultural water requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR).
One major outreach effort included participation in the Western Food Safety Conference held in Salinas, where the Produce Safety Rule and Outreach team engaged with industry professionals and shared a suite of educational resources.
From April through May, CDFA-PSP partnered with the Western Tree Nut Association, CDFA’s Technical Assistance Program, and the University of California Cooperative Extension to host workshops stretching from Glenn County in the north to Kern County in the south. These sessions provided crucial insights into the final rule on pre-harvest water use—an important consideration for California’s expansive tree nut industry.
Growers and handlers attending the sessions received tailored guidance on how the revised regulations apply to their operations and how to ensure readiness for FSMA-PSR inspections.
CDFA continues to support California’s specialty crop growers with compliance tools and up-to-date training to promote on-farm food safety and regulatory readiness.