As part of NASDA’s guiding principle towards farm’s FSMA compliance, “educate before you regulate,” a team comprised of NASDA, State, FDA, and Cooperative Extension food safety leaders developed the On Farm Readiness Review (OFRR). Designed to move farmers away from the audit checklist scheme, the OFRR is meant to foster a dialogue between the farmer and the regulator and/or educator about the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule.
Benefits of OFRR:
1. Voluntary: Farmers request on OFRR from their state department of agriculture and/or extension agent.
2. Conversation: Over the course of a couple hours, scheduled at the convenience of the farmer, the reviewer observes growing conditions, harvesting practices, packinghouse operations, water sources, and discusses common food safety touch-points.
3. Useful Assessment: At the end of the review, the assessor provides their top three suggestions for the farm to improve its food safety practices. Afterwards, the farmer is connected with educational materials and resources to assist with solutions to achieve compliance with FSMA.
4. Peace of Mind for the Grower: This program has been designed to also educate the farmer on the inspection process and provide a level of comfort with the new requirements imposed by FSMA.
5. Public Health Assurance: Beginning in the Spring of 2018, regulators and educators will be on farms advancing food safety within our food system using the On Farm Readiness Review model.
6. Confidential: Careful consideration has been given to protecting farm information from prying eyes unless an immediate threat to public health is detected.
| State | How to Sign Up for an On-Farm Readiness Review | |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Complete form here and send to producesafety@agi.alabama.gov | |
| Alaska | Contact Sarah Coburn at sarah.coburn@alaska.gov; 907-375-8213 or Dena Cologgi dena.cologgi@alaska.gov; 907-375-8212 | |
| Arizona | See more information here: Arizona On-Farm Readiness Review Inquire about booking here: Questionnaire | |
| Arkansas | Contact Dr. Amanda Philyaw Perez, aperez@uada.edu, 501-671-2228 | |
| California | Contact the produce department at producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov or at 916-710-1554 | |
| Colorado | Contact Sarah Musick at 303-869-9282 or sarah.musick@state.co.us | |
| Connecticut | Contact UConn Extension at 860-871-0776 or indu.upadhyaya@uconn.edu | |
| Delaware | Contact DE.ProduceSafety@state.de.us | |
| Florida | Complete form here or call 863-578-1900 | |
| Georgia | Complete form here and send to rachel.futch@agr.georgia.gov | |
| Hawaii | Contact the Program Manager at weston.m.yap@hawaii.gov or at (808) 832-0685 | |
| Idaho | Contact Casey Monn at Casey.Monn@isda.idaho.gov of Pamela Juker at pamela.juker@isda.idaho.gov | |
| Indiana | Contact Vivien McCurdy at vmccurdy@isdh.in.gov or 317-696-7383 | |
| Iowa | Fill out form here | |
| Kansas | Contact Cal registering as a produce farm with the Kansas Department of Agriculture | |
| Kentucky | Contact Office of Agricultural Marketing and Product Promotion-Plant Division at (502) 782-4120 | |
| Louisiana | Contact Allison Dumas at 225-935-2161 or adumas@ldaf.state.la.us | |
| Maine | Call (207) 764-2100 and ask to be put on the OFRR list to sign up for an On-Farm Readiness Review | |
| Maryland | Email Produce.Safety@maryland.gov, call MDA at 410-841-5769 or complete the OFRR request form online at http://mda.maryland.gov/fsma | |
| Michigan | Fill out this form request from Michigan State University Extension. | |
| Minnesota | Contact ProduceSafety.MDA@state.mn.us or call (651) 539-3648. | |
| Mississippi | Contact Davis Edwards at davis@mdac.ms.gov to schedule an On-Farm Readiness Review or visit the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce website. | |
| Missouri | Contact the Missouri Produce Safety Program at 573-751-8558 to schedule an OFRR. | |
| Montana | Contact the MDA Produce Safety Coordinator at (406) 444-0131 after completing the inventory form here. | |
| Nebraska | Email or call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at agr.produce.safety@nebraska.gov or (402) 471-2537 | |
| Nevada | Contact Alexa Johnson at a.johnson@agri.nv.gov | |
| New Hampshire | Sign up by calling 603-848-4781 or email Vickie Smith at Victoria.m.smith@agr.nh.gov | |
| New Jersey | Sign up by calling 856-839-3377 or email Charlotte.Muetter@ag.nj.gov | |
| New Mexico | Register or contact the NMDA Produce Safety Section Program Manager by phone (575) 646-1809 or email producesafety@nmda.nmsu.edu. | |
| New York | Contact the NYS OFRR Team by phone (518) 457-3846 or email steve.schirmer@agriculture.ny.gov. | |
| North Carolina | Contact Sarah Cope, Outreach Coordinator for the Produce Safety Program within the NCDA&CS via call or text at 919-219-4716 or email at Sarah.Cope@ncagr.gov | |
| Ohio | Call Matt Fout at (614) 600-4272 or email mfout@agri.ohio.gov | |
| Oklahoma | Please fill out this form, or call (405) 522-3928 | |
| Oregon | Complete form here and send a copy of the form to (503) 807-5864 | |
| Pennsylvania | Call Kim Carlen, Produce Safety Program Specialist at 717-317-2057 or kcarlen@pa.gov | |
| Rhode Island | Fill out this form | |
| South Carolina | Fill out this form | |
| Tennessee | Contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Consumer Industry Services Produce Safety team at 615-532-8283. | |
| Texas | Contact Richard De Los Santos at producesafety@texasagriculture.gov or (512) 463-7472 | |
| Utah | Contact Dave Basinger at dbasinger@utah.gov or (435) 636-3234 or USU Extension agent Karin Allen at ProduceSafety@usu.edu | |
| Vermont | Enroll farm in Vermont Produce Portal here and check box next to “On-Farm Readiness Review” | |
| Virginia | Contact the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services office at 804-786-4003 | |
| Washington | Contact WSDA Produce Safety Program at producesafety@agr.wa.gov | |
| West Virginia | Contact Jeremy Grant at produce@wvda.us or 304-380-8823 | |
| Wisconsin | Complete the Grower Questionnaire and indicate interest in an OFRR |
Related Articles
Final Congressional Letter to Administrator Regan re Omission of Rendering from the National Strategy
Letter Dear Administrator Regan: The undersigned Members of Congress are writing about your agency’s recent actions that fail to recognize rendering as a critical food waste management strategy. We are concerned such an omission [...]
Food System Leaders Advocate for Continued and Enhanced Nutrition Security Funding
Press Release INDIANAPOLIS – Today at the 2024 National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Annual Meeting, three key thought leaders joined the Food Systems & Nutrition Committee to share their insights on the [...]
Endorsement Letter for the Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act of 2024
Letter Dear Speaker Johnson, Democratic Leader Jeffries, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell: As organizations and trade associations representing a diverse array of perspectives regarding the resilience of American agriculture and the domestic food [...]
