Food Safety Outreach & Technical Assistance to Limited Resource, Socially Disadvantaged Small Farmers in Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz Counties

The long-term goal of this project is to equip SDFs with the knowledge and educational resources needed to successfully implement food safety GAPs and FSMA Produce Safety Rule compliance requirements on their farms. We propose to develop culturally appropriate educational resources, further extend existing resources to assist SDFs with FSMA Produce Safety Rule compliance requirements, help SDFs prepare for the non-regulatory California Produce Safety Program OFRRs, assist SDFs in correcting the deficits identified in the OFRRs, and help SDFs prepare for the regulatory on-farm food safety inspections. Ourspecific objectives are:1. Provide customized technical assistance on food safety GAPs and FSMA Produce Safety Rule compliance requirements to SDFs in the region through workshops, farm visits, one-on-one assistance, and tailgate meetings.2. Develop culturally relevant food safety educational materials to meet the needs of SDFs.3. Evaluate short-term and medium-term results through increase in knowledge and adoption of recommended food safety practices.