Produce Bites

Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety
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  • EDUCATION

Produce Bites features MSU Extension Educators, Michigan Produce Safety Technicians, fruit and vegetable growers, and others in the industry to talk about anything and everything related to produce safety. Join us as we discuss how growers are implementing food safety on their farm, challenges relating to food safety, and clarification on certain aspects of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.

  1. 6D AGO

    Groundwater Discharge Permits

    This podcast episode features Allissa Conley, a Produce Safety Technician with the Newaygo Conservation District, and Tess Van Gorder, the Conservation & Regulatory Relations Specialist with Michigan Farm Bureau. Tess goes over what Michigan growers need to know when it comes to wastewater discharge and the groundwater discharge permit process.

    14 min

  2. JAN 5

    Eco-Friendly, Affordable, and Food Safe: Finding a Balance

    In this episode, Produce Safety Technicians Micah Hutchison and Landen Tetil discuss how to find a balance between eco-friendly practices and produce safety on the farm.  Supplemental Resources: Factors to Consider When Purchasing Used Produce Equipment (Article) Building a Low-Cost Wash Pack (Video)

    16 min

  3. 05/19/2025

    Beginning Farmer Curriculum

    Beginning farmer educators and partners from across Michigan have come together to author a beginning farmer curriculum, rooted in participatory action learning, to offer a solid foundation for beginning farmer training programs. In this episode, Mariel Borgman and Kathy Sample talk through their contributions to the curriculum and how these modules can support effective learning and engagement for beginning farmers.  Beginning Farmer Curriculum and Resources: beginningfarmercurriculum.org  Beginning Farmer Workshops: Kalamazoo Valley Community College will be hosting a series of free workshops for beginning farmers for an opportunity to learn farming skills and provide feedback on the new curriculum modules. A produce safety-specific workshop will be held on May 29.  All workshop dates and topics are listed below. Click a link below to register.  May 22 - Urban Agriculture and Policy May 29 - Produce Safety June 5 - Soil Health June 12 - Integrated Pest Management June 19 - Pollinators June 26 - Farm Financial ManagementTrain-The-Trainer Workshops: A series of train-the-trainer workshops have been planned in 2025 for beginning farmer educators to receive an introduction to the curricula and teaching techniques. Click a link below to register! June 3 – Grand Rapids, register here June 6 – Flint, register here June 10 – Online, register here June 17 – Chatham, register here

    19 min

  4. 05/05/2025

    Managing Postharvest Water in a Packhouse

    This episode features Phil Tocco, an MSU Extension Educator for on-farm produce safety, and Claire Murphy, an assistant professor and extension specialist in produce safety at Washington State University. Claire discusses their research on the safety of postharvest water, including how they’re sampling for sanitizer levels and the presence of bacteria. Together, Phil and Claire share best practices that growers and packhouses can consider implementing based on preliminary findings, particularly around monitoring and maintaining postharvest water quality.

    19 min

  5. 04/21/2025

    Cleaning & Sanitizing Harvest Aids

    This episode features Phil Tocco, an MSU Extension Produce Safety Educator, and Michelle Danyluk, a professor and extension specialist in microbiological food safety at the University of Florida. Michelle shares what her and her colleagues have learned from their research on cleaning and sanitizing leafy greens harvesters, and offers practical advice for how growers can keep their equipment clean.

    25 min

  6. 03/17/2025

    The Benefits and Risks to Washing Your Produce

    "Bacteria cannot walk, but they can swim." In this episode, we dive into the science behind washing produce and its impact on both produce safety and product quality. Dr. Teresa Bergholz, an associate professor of food science at Michigan State University, shares her research on washing leafy greens and the factors that can influence microbial risk. Joining the conversation are Phil Tocco, a produce safety educator with MSU Extension, and Landen Tetil, a Produce Safety Technician, who offer insights into best practices for washing produce on the farm.

    16 min

  7. 02/14/2025

    Improving Food Safety in Cantaloupes

    In this episode, we talk with Scott Monroe, a food safety educator with Purdue Extension, about Indiana’s cantaloupe industry and the ongoing research to enhance its safety. Scott shares insights on the studies being done in response to the Evansville cantaloupe outbreaks, how the new FSMA water rule may help to reduce future similar outbreaks, and the work growers have done as part of their commitment to improving the safety of the cantaloupe. Additional Resources: Purdue, FDA join Indiana produce growers in multiyear food safety study

    10 min

  8. 01/14/2025

    How It All Began: The History of FSMA

    In this episode, we’re joined by Kristin Esch from the FDA and Produce Safety Technicians Allissa Conley and Morgan Anderson as they dive into the history and purpose of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. They discuss how it all started, why food safety is so important, and the benefits of a proactive versus reactive approach to produce safety.

    20 min
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About

Produce Bites features MSU Extension Educators, Michigan Produce Safety Technicians, fruit and vegetable growers, and others in the industry to talk about anything and everything related to produce safety. Join us as we discuss how growers are implementing food safety on their farm, challenges relating to food safety, and clarification on certain aspects of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.

Information

  • Creator
    Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Produce Bites
  • Show Website
    Produce Bites