Success StoryProduce Safety Alliance Grower training for Kentucky growers to fulfill the federal FSMA Produce Safety Rule regulatory requirement.



Produce Safety Alliance Grower training for Kentucky growers to fulfill the federal FSMA Produce Safety Rule regulatory requirement.

Author: Paul Vijayakumar

Planning Unit: Animal and Food Sciences

Major Program: Local Food Systems

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a federal law transforming the nation’s food safety system. The “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption”, aka “Produce Safety Rule (PSR),” establishes for the first time, science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption. The rule is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to implement the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. The final rule went into effect on January 26, 2016.  Growers need to attend PSA Grower training in order to fulfill FSMA Produce Safety Rule regulatory requirement. The FSMA Produce Safety Rule requires at least one supervisor or responsible party from the farm to complete a food safety training at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA conducted by qualified trainers. Dr. Paul Priyesh, the PSA lead trainer for the state and his produce safety team conducted 9 PSA grower trainings from July 2022- June 2023 across the state of Kentucky. 126 participants, which included growers from the Amish and Mennonite population successfully completed the program. Pre-test data showed that 25 percent of the participants scored 75% or above, but the post-test data showed a significant increase in knowledge, with 88 percent of the participants scoring 75% or above.  






Stories by Paul Vijayakumar


FSMA-PSR Food Safety Plan Writing Pilot Workshop for Plain Community Growers

about 6 years ago by Paul Vijayakumar

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)is a federal law transforming the nations food safety sy... Read More


Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training to meet the FDA's FSMA PSR requirement

about 6 years ago by Paul Vijayakumar

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)is a federal law transforming the nations food safety sy... Read More


Stories by Animal and Food Sciences


Meeting the educational needs of small egg producers

about 6 years ago by Anthony Pescatore

There has been a trend in Kentucky for many nontraditional clientele to have small egg producing flo... Read More


Horse Academy for Chinese Students

about 6 years ago by Fernanda Camargo

The University of Kentucky China Initiatives Office approached me regarding offering a horse program... Read More