Produce safety training for fruit and vegetable growers focuses on prevention, best practices
March 23, 2026
By Rebekah Hall
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Training will be held April 9 at C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center
- No cost to attend; lunch, snacks, materials will be provided
- Must register online by April 6
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LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas fruit and vegetable growers are invited to learn food safety best practices and regulatory requirements at the first produce safety grower training of 2026 on April 9.
The training will take place at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center at 1 Four H Way in Little Rock from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Registration is free and includes lunch, snacks and training materials. Attendance is limited to 25 spots, and participants must register online by April 6. Walk-ins will not be accepted.
“We are looking forward to working with growers to provide them with important information about best practices, risk management and regulatory requirements,” said Amanda Philyaw Perez, extension associate professor of food systems and food safety specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The training will cover soil amendments, postharvest handling, worker health and hygiene, wildlife management and more.
Perez said that the 2026 series of extension produce safety grower trainings were made possible through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant program, or RFSI. Two more trainings will be offered this summer and fall.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture administers the RFSI program through funding provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
“As part of the RFSI program, we have authorization to host produce safety grower training to help farms and food businesses receive the education and certification needed to support their businesses,” Perez said. “We are grateful for this funding and the opportunity it has given us to continue this crucial work.”
For fresh produce farms, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule, or FSMA PSR, sets mandatory standards for growing, harvesting, packing and holding produce. Most produce farms are affected by this rule, and this training satisfies the FSMA PSR training requirement for covered farms.
“The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act has introduced new regulations to protect public health by preventing food safety incidents instead of reacting to them after they occur,” Perez said. “This way, we can reduce financial risk to farmers and protect the public by ensuring a safe food supply.”
Visit extension’s Local, Safe and Regional Foods page to learn more about the program or contact Perez at aperez@uada.edu.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact Amanda Perez at 501-671-2228 as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
501-671-2061