TRAINING OF PERSONNEL

PSR.8 Which personnel must be trained?

All personnel (including temporary, part time, seasonal, and contracted personnel) who handle covered produce or food contact surfaces, or who are engaged in the supervision thereof, must receive adequate training, as appropriate to the person’s duties, upon hiring, and periodically thereafter, at least once annually. See 21 CFR 112.21(a).

PSR.9 How frequently do my personnel need to be trained?

Upon hiring, and periodically thereafter, at least once annually. Training must be repeated as necessary and appropriate in light of observations or information indicating that personnel are not meeting standards established by FDA in the Produce Safety Rule Subparts C through O (21 CFR 112.21).

TRAINING RECORDS

PSR.10 What training records are required by the Produce Safety Rule?

You must establish and keep records of training that document required training of personnel, including the date of training, topics covered, and the person(s) trained (21 CFR 112.30(b)).

STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM

PSR.11 Do we need to obtain a certificate in order to satisfy the Produce Safety Rule training requirement under § 112.22 (c)?

No. We see the value of receiving a “training certificate” or a “food safety certificate” documenting the training farm personnel (including supervisors or responsible parties) have received. However, at this time, we are not requiring use of such a program (either as a new requirement or to satisfy any of the requirements of this rule), nor are we able to develop such a system or recommend a specific certification process or certification body to enable such an approach. Note that although “certificates” are not required, under 21 CFR 112.30(b) you must establish and keep records of training that document required training of personnel, including the date of training, topics covered, and the persons(s) trained (80 FR 74353 at 74418-19, Nov. 27, 2015).

CONTRACT HARVESTERS

PSR.12 Who can train contract harvesters?

Where a covered farm uses contracted harvest personnel to harvest covered produce on the farm’s behalf, the farm continues to be required to fulfill all relevant duties applicable under this rule. Thus, the farm is responsible for ensuring that the harvest personnel has received required training. The farm may rely on the company that provides the harvest personnel to provide or conduct the training, or the farm may provide or conduct the training. For example, if the harvest company provides training to workers who move from farm to farm under the employment of the harvest company, farms that employ such harvest personnel may choose to rely on the harvest company to provide or conduct the training, request relevant certification from the harvest company, and maintain appropriate records to demonstrate compliance with the applicable training requirements. In addition, an operation that harvests crops but does not grow them, such as a contract harvest company, may meet the definition of ‘‘farm’’ (see 21 CFR 112.3). Thus, if they are covered farms, contracted harvest companies also have duties to comply with this rule (80 FR 74353 at 74420).