Produce Bites

In this episode, we’re joined by Annalisa Hultberg, a Food Safety Extension Educator with the University of Minnesota Extension, and Ariel Pressman, Principal Consultant with Whole Farm Strategies. Together, they share practical tips for building a low-cost packshed. From structures and flooring to essential equipment, they break down how growers can create an efficient wash/pack space without sac...

This episode features Nick Panicola, a Produce Safety Technician for the Grand Traverse Conservation District, and Dr. Kevin Tarwa, a recent University of Maryland doctoral graduate. They discuss Dr. Tarwa’s research on harvested rainwater and what it means for produce safety.

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This episode features Carrie Fitzpatrick, a Food Safety Consultant through Wilbur-Ellis, and Morgan Anderson, a Produce Safety Technician with the Ottawa Conservation District. Together, they break down what regenerative agriculture really means, address common misconceptions about balancing regenerative practices with food safety, and compare PRIMUS and GAP audit expectations with the requirement...

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. 

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)

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 fo...

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 practice...

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....

"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 produ...

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 commi...

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.

In this special episode of Produce Bites , we’re excited to share an insightful conversation originally recorded on The Food Safety Dish podcast, brought to you by the National Farmers Union’s Local Food Safety Collaborative. In this episode, Kathryn Cavenaugh interviews Phil Tocco as they explore the new FSMA Produce Safety Rule on pre-harvest agricultural water, along with tips for assessing you...

In this episode, we're joined by Produce Safety Technicians Landen Tetil and Micah Hutchison to explore the concept of the "produce safety ladder." They discuss small but significant decisions you can make to climb this ladder and improve produce safety on your farm. 

In this episode of Produce Bites, we explore the role of composting on the farm and the food safety considerations every grower should know. This episode features Morgan Anderson, Produce Safety Technician with the Ottawa Conservation District, and Eliza Hensel, Compost Systems Educator with Michigan State University Extension. They discuss their composting processes, the importance of validation...

In this episode, Produce Safety Technicians Landen Tetil and Patrick Gordon talk about establishing a clean break. They discuss what is and isn't a clean break, why a clean break is important for food safety, and what it has to do with traceability. 

The FSMA Produce Safety Rule does not give specifics on establishing no-harvest buffer zones, and it can be difficult for growers to determine the size of a no-harvest buffer zone when they find poop in the field. Laurel Dunn, assistant professor and food safety extension specialist at the University of Georgia, and Shirley Micallef, professor in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Archi...

In this episode, Produce Safety Technicians Micah Hutchison and Landen Tetil discuss how to reduce food safety risks when it comes to growing mushrooms. They also talk through regulations that growers should be aware of when processing mushrooms.  Additional Resources: Food-Safe Fungi: Produce Safety Resources for Mushroom Growers Video: "Power Washing Only Spreads the Evidence"

This episode features Faith Critzer, Associate Professor at the University of Georgia studying fresh produce in the realm of food safety, and Phil Tocco, On-Farm Produce Safety Educator at MSU Extension. They talk about all of the surfaces apples touch from the time they are picked off the tree until they get to the grocery store and how to keep these surfaces clean.

Happy New Year! In this episode, Produce Safety Technicians Morgan Anderson and Allissa Conley talk about produce safety resolutions you can implement in the new year.  Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of...

The FSMA Produce Safety Rule requires that growers take a standardized food safety training recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Sara Runkel, a Local Produce Safety Coordinator with Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, and Steve Warshawer, Enterprise Development Manager with the La Montañita Food Co-op, are part of a team that is developing an equivalent training pro...

Produce Safety Technicians Landen Tetil and Micah Hutchison swap produce safety "horror stories" from the field and share solutions to these frightful food safety situations. Additional Resources: Hand Sanitizer vs. Hand Soap (Nutella video) Contact a Michigan Produce Safety Technician Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137....

Converting a washing machine into a greens spinner can be a cost-effective and efficient option for farms to spin their dry leafy greens, but what are the food safety risks that come with it? Amanda Kinchla, Extension Professor of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts, was a part of a research team that studied the microbial contamination risks of washing machine greens spinners and how...

In this episode, Produce Safety Technicians Morgan Anderson and Allissa Conley sit down with Katie Brandt, leader of the Michigan State University Organic Farmer Training Program. They give helpful advice for beginning farmers, talk through some of the challenges beginning farmers may face when first getting started, and discuss where to begin when it comes to food safety on the farm. Additional R...

In this episode, Produce Safety Technician Micah Hutchison interviews Clarence Price with Pingree Farms in Detroit. Clarence discusses the history of ag in Detroit, the food safety practices at Pingree Farms, and the benefits of urban farming and urban market gardening. Funding for this podcast was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expres...