National Farmers Union Foundation

LOCAL FOOD SAFETY COLLABORATIVE

ENABLING LOCAL PRODUCE GROWERS AND PROCESSORS TO COMPLY WITH THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT (FSMA) THROUGH SPECIALIZED, NEEDS-SPECIFIC RESOURCES A

AS CONSUMERS INCREASINGLY DESIRE TO CONNECT TO THEIR FOOD AND ITS ORIGIN, NATIONAL FARMERS UNION FOUNDATION (NFUF) BELIEVES THAT FSMA COMPLIANCE WILL ULTIMATELY STRENGTHEN LOCAL FOOD ECONOMIES BY ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING THAT LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCTS ARE SAFE AND HEALTHY. DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO PROMOTE PRODUCE SAFETY RULE AWARENESS AND ADHERENCE WILL FACILITATE THE CONTINUANCE OF THIS POSITIVE TREND. OUR PROJECT IS MOTIVATED BY A RECOGNITION THAT LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS IN THE MIDWEST REGION, OFTEN SMALL-SCALE DIVERSIFIED FARMING OPERATIONS, FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN COMPLYING WITH FSMA REGULATIONS.ACCORDINGLY, THIS PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE FOOD SAFETY KNOWLEDGE OF A DIVERSE POPULATION OF SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMERS BY IMPLEMENTING, PROMOTING, AND FACILITATING ACCESS TO FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND INITIATING CROSS-STATE COLLABORATION IN THE MIDWESTERN REGION FOR PURPOSES OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT, PROGRAM EVALUATION, AND OUTREACH.