Environmental Assessments to Customize Food Safety Training for Very Small to Small Strawberry Producers in the Southeastern United States

The long-term goal of this multi-state project is to reduce the burden of foodborne disease (FBD) attributed to on-farm contamination of fresh berries. An intermediate step to achieving this goal is the development of a novel food safety outreach 'add-on' curriculum. The add-on curriculum aims to facilitate integration of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule among very small and small-sized strawberry growers in the southeastern United States. The three objectives to achieve our aim are:Conduct surveys and interviews with very small to small-sized strawberry growers in the southeastern United States.Conduct environmental assessments on very small to small-sized strawberry farms in Arkansas.Develop and evaluate the add-on curriculum delivered to very small to small-sized strawberry growers in Arkansas.