Beginning farmer educators and partners from across Michigan have come together to author a beginning farmer curriculum, rooted in participatory action learning, to offer a solid foundation for beginning farmer training programs. In this episode, Mariel Borgman and Kathy Sample talk through their contributions to the curriculum and how these modules can support effective learning and engagement for beginning farmers. 

Beginning Farmer Curriculum and Resources:

beginningfarmercurriculum.org  [https://www.beginningfarmercurriculum.org/]

Beginning Farmer Workshops:

Kalamazoo Valley Community College will be hosting a series of free workshops for beginning farmers for an opportunity to learn farming skills and provide feedback on the new curriculum modules. A produce safety-specific workshop [https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/produce-safety-workshop-for-beginning-farmers] will be held on May 29. 

All workshop dates and topics are listed below. Click a link below to register. 

 * May 22 - Urban Agriculture and Policy [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHpMBMdz4dLfpaELDn5rk_EyrcJFJkc-b1pFOgrR-Cti0k7A/viewform]
 * May 29 - Produce Safety [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHpMBMdz4dLfpaELDn5rk_EyrcJFJkc-b1pFOgrR-Cti0k7A/viewform]
 * June 5 - Soil Health [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHpMBMdz4dLfpaELDn5rk_EyrcJFJkc-b1pFOgrR-Cti0k7A/viewform]
 * June 12 - Integrated Pest Management [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHpMBMdz4dLfpaELDn5rk_EyrcJFJkc-b1pFOgrR-Cti0k7A/viewform]
 * June 19 - Pollinators [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHpMBMdz4dLfpaELDn5rk_EyrcJFJkc-b1pFOgrR-Cti0k7A/viewform]
 * June 26 - Farm Financial Management [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHpMBMdz4dLfpaELDn5rk_EyrcJFJkc-b1pFOgrR-Cti0k7A/viewform]

Train-The-Trainer Workshops:

A series of train-the-trainer workshops [https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/free-trainings-for-educators-working-with-beginning-farmers-offered-this-spring-and-summer] have been planned in 2025 for beginning farmer educators to receive an introduction to the curricula and teaching techniques. Click a link below to register!

 * June 3 – Grand Rapids, register here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpLxmeCgnpULKLFtHBIIH17D-DK-Q1w2pq7DT7niSc0DKJdg/viewform]
 * June 6 – Flint, register here [https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/beginning-farmers-train-the-trainer-workshop-june-6]
 * June 10 – Online, register here [https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/beginning-farmers-train-the-trainer-workshop-june-10-virtual]
 * June 17 – Chatham, register here [https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/beginning-farmers-train-the-trainer-workshop-june]

Beginning Farmer Curriculum

This episode features Phil Tocco, an MSU Extension Educator for on-farm produce safety, and Claire Murphy, an assistant professor and extension specialist in produce safety at Washington State University. Claire discusses their research on the safety of postharvest water, including how they’re sampling for sanitizer levels and the presence of bacteria. Together, Phil and Claire share best practices that growers and packhouses can consider implementing based on preliminary findings, particularly around monitoring and maintaining postharvest water quality.

Managing Postharvest Water in a Packhouse

This episode features Phil Tocco, an MSU Extension Produce Safety Educator, and Michelle Danyluk, a professor and extension specialist in microbiological food safety at the University of Florida. Michelle shares what her and her colleagues have learned from their research on cleaning and sanitizing leafy greens harvesters, and offers practical advice for how growers can keep their equipment clean. 

Cleaning & Sanitizing Harvest Aids

"Bacteria cannot walk, but they can swim." In this episode, we dive into the science behind washing produce and its impact on both produce safety and product quality. Dr. Teresa Bergholz, an associate professor of food science at Michigan State University, shares her research on washing leafy greens and the factors that can influence microbial risk. Joining the conversation are Phil Tocco, a produce safety educator with MSU Extension, and Landen Tetil, a Produce Safety Technician, who offer insights into best practices for washing produce on the farm.

The Benefits and Risks to Washing Your Produce

In this episode, we talk with Scott Monroe, a food safety educator with Purdue Extension, about Indiana’s cantaloupe industry and the ongoing research to enhance its safety. Scott shares insights on the studies being done in response to the Evansville cantaloupe outbreaks, how the new FSMA water rule may help to reduce future similar outbreaks, and the work growers have done as part of their commitment to improving the safety of the cantaloupe.

Additional Resources:

Purdue, FDA join Indiana produce growers in multiyear food safety study [https://ag.purdue.edu/news/2024/10/purdue-fda-join-indiana-produce-growers-in-multiyear-food-safety-study.html]

Improving Food Safety in Cantaloupes

In this episode, we’re joined by Kristin Esch from the FDA and Produce Safety Technicians Allissa Conley and Morgan Anderson as they dive into the history and purpose of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. They discuss how it all started, why food safety is so important, and the benefits of a proactive versus reactive approach to produce safety.

How It All Began: The History of FSMA

In this special episode of Produce Bites, we’re excited to share an insightful conversation originally recorded on The Food Safety Dish podcast, brought to you by the National Farmers Union’s Local Food Safety Collaborative. In this episode, Kathryn Cavenaugh interviews Phil Tocco as they explore the new FSMA Produce Safety Rule on pre-harvest agricultural water, along with tips for assessing your own ag water for potential hazards and risks. A big thanks to Kathryn and the National Farmers Union for allowing us to cross-post this valuable episode.

Additional Resources:

Risk Prioritization Tool [https://www.canr.msu.edu/agrifood_safety/risk-prioritization-tool/]

Assessing Your Agricultural Water Risk

In this episode, we're joined by Produce Safety Technicians Landen Tetil and Micah Hutchison to explore the concept of the "produce safety ladder." They discuss small but significant decisions you can make to climb this ladder and improve produce safety on your farm. 

Climbing the Produce Safety Ladder

In this episode of Produce Bites, we explore the role of composting on the farm and the food safety considerations every grower should know. This episode features Morgan Anderson, Produce Safety Technician with the Ottawa Conservation District, and Eliza Hensel, Compost Systems Educator with Michigan State University Extension. They discuss their composting processes, the importance of validation and recordkeeping, best practices for handling and storing compost, and more.

Additional Resources: 

On-farm compost production and Right to Farm [https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/on-farm-compost-production-and-right-to-farm] - Eliza Hensel

Tips for composting in the summertime [https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/tips-for-composting-in-the-summertime] - Eliza Hensel

Master Composter Online Course [https://www.canr.msu.edu/courses/master-composter-online-course]

Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety [https://www.miofps.org/]

Composting and Food Safety

In this episode, Produce Safety Technicians Landen Tetil and Patrick Gordon talk about establishing a clean break. They discuss what is and isn't a clean break, why a clean break is important for food safety, and what it has to do with traceability. 

Clean Breaks

Produce Bites features MSU Extension Educators, Michigan Produce Safety Technicians, fruit and vegetable growers, and others in the industry to talk about anything and everything related to produce safety. Join us as we discuss how growers are implementing food safety on their farm, challenges relating to food safety, and clarification on certain aspects of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.