MSU Extension Agrifood Safety

Hydroponics and Food Safety

JUNE 2022 

This episode features Gianna Costa, Food Safety Quality and Assurance Manager for Square Roots indoor farm, and Phil Tocco, a statewide Produce Safety Educator with Michigan State University Extension. They talk about how Square Roots works as an indoor growing operation, how they mitigate food safety hazards, and how they build a culture of food safety.

Learn more about Square Roots on their website, or visit them on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

Unintended Food Contact Surfaces

MAY 2022 | View Additional Resources

Food contact surfaces are extremely important to keep clean in order to reduce the spread of pathogens. When we think of areas that produce comes into contact with, we typically think of a table or a harvest container, but what are some other surfaces that aren't usually considered? In this episode, Produce Safety Technicians Micah Hutchison and Landen Tetil talk about certain food contact surfaces that may be unintentional and how you can keep these areas clean.

How Risky are Birds to Food Safety?

APRIL 2022  |  View Additional Resources & Transcript

In this episode, you'll hear from Olivia Smith, a postdoctoral researcher at Michigan State University, and Phil Tocco, an MSU Extension Educator. They discuss the factors that influence the relative risk of birds to food safety.

On-Farm Readiness Reviews

MARCH 2022  |  View Additional Resources & Transcript

This episode features Emily Hale, Produce Safety Technician with the Blue Water Conservation District, Jordan DeVries, Produce Safety Technician with the Newaygo Conservation District, and Ben Phillips, MSU Extension Educator. They talk about their experiences with On-Farm Readiness Reviews and discuss areas of improvement they see most commonly on farms when it comes to produce safety. 

Understanding the Proposed Water Rule

FEBRUARY 2022  |  View Additional Resources & Transcript

The FDA recently proposed changes to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water Rule requirements. In this episode, Phil Tocco, Food Safety Educator with Michigan State University Extension, and Annalisa Hultberg, Food Safety Educator with the University of Minnesota, discuss the proposed changes to the rule and provide guidance on how to submit comments.

Comments can be written and faxed to the FDA at 301-827-6870 or mailed to:

Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305)
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

To read more about the rule or if you would like to comment on the proposed rule, you may do so at FSMA Proposed Rule on Agricultural Water.

Comments must be submitted by April 5, 2022.

Safe Cider Production

NOVEMBER 2021  |  View Transcript

This episode features Landen Tetil, Produce Safety Technician with the Marquette County Conservation District, and Les Bourquin, Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University. They talk about produce safety risks to keep in mind when it comes to on-farm apple cider production.

Food Safety on U-Pick Farms

OCTOBER 2021  |  View Additional Resources & Transcript

This episode features Barb Roth, owner of Red Barn Market in Lowell Michigan, and Mariel Borgman, Community Food Systems Educator with MSU Extension. They discuss various food safety risks on U-Pick farms and how you can mitigate them.

Farm to School

SEPTEMBER 2021  |  View Additional Resources

This episode features Lori Yelton, Nutrition and Food Management Consultant with MDARD, Mary Rose Vanas, Food Service Director for Shelby Public Schools, Landen Tetil, Produce Safety Technician with the Marquette County Conversation District, and Mariel Borgman, Community Food Systems Educator with MSU Extension. They discuss the value farm to school has on the community, and provide their own perspectives on food safety in farm to school settings.

Pests in the Wash Pack

AUGUST 2021  |  View Additional Resources

Whether it's mice, rats, birds, or rabbits, many growers struggle with managing pests on the farm. In this episode, Phil Tocco, a Produce Safety Educator with MSU Extension, and Emily Hale, a Produce Safety Technician with the Blue Water Conservation District, give some advice on how to keep these pests under control.

Training H-2A Workers

JULY 2021

This month's podcast features Eligio Larraga with the Michigan Farm Bureau and Jordan DeVries, a Michigan Produce Safety Technician. In this episode, Eligio and Jordan sit down and discuss produce safety training for H-2A workers. 

Building a Culture of Food Safety

MAY 2021  |  View Additional Resources

What does it mean to create a culture of food safety? Micah Hutchison, a Produce Safety Technician, and Mariel Borgman, an MSU Extension Educator, sit down and discuss the things, ideas, and activities all employees should share to promote a good food safety culture on the farm.

Budget and Earth-Friendly Produce Safety

APRIL 2021

This episode features Micah Hutchison, a Michigan Produce Safety Technician, and Parker Jones, a Michigan State University Extension Educator and Innovation Counselor. Enjoy this animated and informative discussion where Parker and Micah compare notes and offer some affordable and earth friendly solutions to common on farm produce safety challenges, including produce packaging, hand washing, and more!

Farm Food Safety Plans

APRIL 2021

This episode features Landen Tetil, a Produce Safety Technician in the Marquette County Conservation District, and Mariel Borgman, an MSU Extension Educator based out of Kalamazoo County. They discuss the importance of farm food safety plans, how to get started, what information should be included, and more.

For a farm food safety plan template, take a look at the "Record Keeping" section on the Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team website.

Training Workers and Volunteers

MARCH 2021

This episode features Micah Hutchison, a Produce Safety Technician with the Genesee Conservation District, and Ginny Farah, who works with the Edible Flint Educational Farm in Flint, Michigan. They provide some insight into training farm workers and volunteers on produce safety practices. 

Does the FSMA Produce Safety Rule Apply to Your Farm?

FEBRUARY 2021  |  View Additional Resources

Figuring out whether or not your farm is covered or exempt from the FSMA Produce Safety Rule can be confusing. In this episode, you'll hear from Emily Hale, a Produce Safety Technician covering the east side of Michigan, and Rich and Cindy Kern, co-owners of Cardinal Farms in South Lyon, Michigan. Emily will walk the Kerns through a series of questions to help them determine how the rule applies to their farm.

To contact a Michigan Produce Safety Technician, you may visit https://www.miofps.org/

Managing Wildlife

JANUARY 2021  |  View Additional Resources

This podcast episode features Erin Lizotte, Integrated Pest Management Educator with MSU Extension, and Phil Tocco, Preharvest and Postharvest Food Safety Educator with MSU Extension. They discuss the best ways to manage wildlife on the farm.

Produce Safety Inspections

DECEMBER 2020  |  View Additional Resources

This episode features Kristin Esch and Brent Kreiger from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). They give us some insights on produce safety inspections, including the differences between an inspection and an audit, what growers should expect during an inspection, how growers can prepare beforehand, and more.

Urban Farming and Food Safety

NOVEMBER 2020

This episode features Erin Caudell, a farmer in Flint Michigan and owner of a grocery store known as The Local Grocer, and Micah Hutchinson, a Produce Safety Technician with the Genesee Conservation District. They discuss both the benefits and challenges that are unique to urban agriculture, along with how produce safety may differ on urban farms. 

Risks Associated With Water

OCTOBER 2020  |  View Additional Resources

In this episode, you’ll hear from Jordan DeVries, a Produce Safety Technician with the Newaygo Conservation District, Marissa Schuh, with Michigan State University Extension, and Don Stoeckel, with the Produce Safety Alliance at Cornell University. They discuss the produce safety risks you should consider when it comes to water, along with what is required by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule regarding water system inspections.

Environmental Monitoring

SEPTEMBER 2020 

Environmental Monitoring is the process of testing surfaces inside a pack house or post-harvest area. In this episode, Scott Wall with New Age Laboratories and Jordan DeVries, a Produce Safety Technician with Newaygo Conservation District, discuss why you may want to implement an environmental monitoring program on your farm. 

The Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team

AUGUST 2020  |  View Additional Resources

The Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team consists of the Michigan Conservation District Produce Safety Technicians, Michigan State University Extension, and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). In this episode, you’ll hear from Michelle Jacokes, a Produce Safety Technician with the Manistee Conservation District, Mariel Borgman, an MSU Extension Educator, and Heather Borden, the Logistics Coordinator with MSU Extension. They talk about how these organizations collaborate to form the Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team, along with the free, voluntary, and confidential resources available to help growers with all aspects of produce safety on the farm. 

Food-Safe Compost and Manure Use

JULY 2020

This episode features Kristin Esch, a produce safety specialist with the state of Michigan, and Brad Morgan, president and CEO of Morgan Composting. They discuss the best ways to treat, handle, and store compost or manure with regards to produce safety.

Romaine Lettuce Outbreaks

JUNE 2020

In this episode, you'll hear from Jordan DeVries, a Produce Safety Technician with Newaygo Conservation District, Ben Phillips, an MSU Extension Educator in the east central part of Michigan, and Beth Van Dyk, the food safety manager for Van Dyk farms. They discuss the romaine lettuce outbreaks from 2018 and 2019, and Beth speaks up about how these outbreaks have affected leafy greens growers in Michigan. 

Cleaning, Sanitizing, & Disinfecting

MAY 2020  |  View Additional Resources & Transcript

This episode features Emily Hale, a Produce Safety Technician with the Blue Water Conservation District, and Chris Callahan, who runs the Agricultural Engineering Program within University of Vermont Extension. They discuss the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting, along with where and how often these activities should occur on the farm. 

Insights From a Florida U-Pick Farm

APRIL 2020  |  View Transcript

In this episode, Phil Tocco from Michigan State University Extension talks with Shane Mart, Director of Compliance at H&A Farms in Mt. Dora, Florida. With all the uncertainty in our current world and with Michigan U-pick seasons coming up soon, this episode gives you some insights from a grower who has been through a U-pick season already. 

FSMA Compliant Water Testing

MARCH 2020  |  View Additional Resources & Transcript

This episode features Marissa Schuh, a vegetable production educator with MSU Extension, and Mike Snarski, manager of Summit Laboratory out of Grand Rapids, MI. They clarify what exactly is required by the Food Safety Modernization Act in terms of water testing, and they discuss how growers can communicate with a lab in order to get what they need.

Funding for this website was made possible in part by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the posted materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.