On-Farm Produce Safety Practices Assessment in Texas

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate data from on-farm assessments to identify patterns and challenges that resulted in noncompliance to the Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Sixty-nine large farms were assessed by field specialists from the Texas Department of Agriculture Office of Produce Safety by using PSR to determine non-compliance issues over a 16-month period. Large farms are defined as farms that have exceeded $500,000 in average annual produce sales over the course of a 3-year period adjusted for inflation. The results showed a total of 164 non-compliance issues related to Subpart O-Record Keeping (78/164), Subpart L-Equipment, Tools and Buildings (37/164), and Subpart C-Personnel Qualifications and Training (26/164). The assessments of Subpart O demonstrated that growers or grower contractors may perform the activities without documenting records. Examples for Subpart L include growers not cleaning and sanitizing equipment for transporting produce, and some farms did not handle handwashing wastewater effectively. Study results identified the need for training, education, or development of additional resources to specifically address underlying challenges related to non-compliance. This study is novel because the data analyzed demonstrate baseline compliance for large farms in the state of Texas.