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Resources by Laura K. Strawn

Title Available As Summary Date ID Author
2024/2025 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations
This guide lists vegetable varieties that are available and are adapted to the mid-Atlantic region, gives an overview of cultural practices, and list chemicals recommended to manage pests, diseases and weeds in vegetable crops. New varieties of vegetables are constantly being developed throughout the world. While all efforts are made to have comprehensive lists, not all varieties that are adapted will be listed.
Feb 8, 2024 456-420 (SPES-586P)
Safe Handling and Storing of Raw Fruits and Vegetables Aug 20, 2021 FST-234P
Overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule Oct 26, 2023 FST-270NP
Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Agricultural Water Sep 29, 2022 FST-271NP
FSMA Produce Safety Rule: Wildlife and Domesticated Animals
The PSR standards (subpart I) addresses both wildlife and domesticated animals. Animals, both wild and domesticated, may carry bacteria, viruses, or parasites that can make people sick. While animals are common in many locations and hard to control, the PSR standards stress the importance of growers limiting animal access to fields and not harvesting contaminated produce.
Sep 29, 2022 FST-272NP
Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Worker Health, Hygiene and Training Sep 23, 2022 FST-278NP
Guide to Identifying Hazards in Packinghouse Environments Sep 29, 2022 FST-279NP
Introduction to Environmental Monitoring Programs
Environmental monitoring programs (EMPs) are a proactive approach that operations may take to reduce microbial contamination events. EMPs are designed to assess the effectiveness of the hygiene and sanitation practices in a food environment and provide valuable information to avoid microbial contamination of food products. EMPs are specific to each operation and depend upon the food(s) that are handled, packed, and or processed; operation size; operation layout; among other factors. If EMPs are effective, operations will be alerted to possible pathogen harborage locations based on positive test results, and operations will be able to implement corrective actions to reduce contamination events. Corrective actions may include targeted cleaning and sanitation of locations/adjacent locations that test positive and implementation of new policies or practices to reduce cross-contamination (for example, new employee or equipment traffic patterns). This publication serves as an introductory guide.
Nov 2, 2023 FST-290NP
Visión General de la Ley de Modernización de la Inocuidad de los Alimentos; Norma de la Inocuidad de los Productos Agrícolas Frescos (Overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule) Oct 26, 2023 FST-291NP
Ley de Modernización de la Inocuidad de los Alimentos Norma de Inocuidad de los Productos Agrícolas Frescos: Salud Higiene y Capacitación de los Trabajadores (Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Worker Health, Hygiene and Training) May 30, 2018 FST-293S
Does my Farm have to Comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule? A Tool to Assist Producers May 30, 2018 FST-294NP
Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule: Soil Amendments Jul 17, 2019 FST-316P
Packinghouse Best Practices To Support the FSMA Produce Safety Rule Jul 19, 2019 FST-317P
Susceptibility of Produce to Infiltration: Risk Factors and Mitigations May 30, 2019 FST-320NP
Making Your Own Sanitizing or Disinfecting Solution Jan 30, 2022 FST-339NP
Sprout Safety Aug 30, 2019 FST-344NP
Microbial Quality of Water Used in Potato Packinghouse Operations Oct 15, 2019 FST-348P
On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR): The Next Step in Preparing for FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule Sep 10, 2019 FST-349NP
Demystifying Agricultural Production Water Testing under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule Sep 10, 2019 FST-350NP
Guidelines for Packinghouse Workstations TO PREVENT SPREAD of COVID-19 Jun 5, 2020 FST-372NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 May 28, 2020 FST-373NP
Cleaning, Sanitizing, Disinfecting, and Sterilizing. What's the difference? Jun 25, 2021 FST-386NP
Cleaning, Sanitizing, Disinfecting, and Sterilizing. What's the Difference? - Chinese Aug 11, 2021 FST-389NP
Limpieza, Sanitización, Desinfección y Esterilización. ¿Cuál es la diferencia? (Cleaning, Sanitizing, Disinfecting, and Sterilizing. What's the Difference?) Aug 18, 2021 FST-390NP
Food Safety for Home Deliveries with Considerations for COVID-19 (Consumer Edition) Sep 16, 2021 FST-392NP
Food Safety for Home Deliveries with Considerations for COVID-19 (Industry Edition) Sep 16, 2021 FST-393NP
Practical Food Safety for COVID-19: Guidance for transitioning from Dine-In to Take-Out and Delivery Only Sep 16, 2021 FST-394NP
How to Clean, Sanitize, and Disinfect Surfaces Dec 21, 2021 FST-395NP
¿Cómo Limpiar, Sanitizar, y Desinfectar Superficies? ( How to Clean, Sanitize, and Disinfect Surfaces) Dec 21, 2021 FST-396NP
Before You Buy – What to Look for on Household Cleaner, Sanitizer, and Disinfectant Labels Feb 4, 2022 FST-397NP
Antes de Comprar – ¿Qué Debe Buscar en las Etiquetas de Productos Domésticos de Limpieza, Sanitizantes y Desinfectantes? ( Before You Buy – What to Look for on Household Cleaner, Sanitizer, and Disinfectant Labels) Jan 30, 2022 FST-398NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Performing a Hazard Analysis Jan 20, 2022 FST-400NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: General Practices Jan 20, 2022 FST-401NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Pre-Plant Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-402NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Production Stage Jan 31, 2022 FST-403NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Harvest Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-404NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Post-Harvest Handling Stage Jan 20, 2022 FST-405NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Preparing for GAP Certification Jan 20, 2022 FST-406NP
Using Hand Sanitizers Feb 2, 2022 FST-407NP
Making Your Own Sanitizer - Vietnamese Feb 11, 2022 FST-412NP
Cleaning, Sanitizing, Disinfecting, and Sterilizing - Vietnamese Feb 9, 2022 FST-413NP
使用消毒免洗洗手液 (Making Your Own Sanitizing) Feb 11, 2022 FST-414NP
在购买前—阅读清洗剂、清洁剂和消毒剂上的 使用说明 (Before You Buy – What to Look for on Household Cleaner, Sanitizer, and Disinfectant Labels) Feb 9, 2022 FST-415NP
使用消毒免洗洗手液 (Using Hand Sanitizers) Feb 14, 2022 FST-416NP
如何清洗,清洁和消毒表面 (How to Clean, Sanitize, and Disinfect Surfaces) Feb 9, 2022 FST-417NP
How to Clean, Sanitize, and Disinfect Surfaces - Vietnamese Feb 23, 2022 FST-419NP
Before You Buy - What to Look for on Household Cleaner, Sanitizer, and Disinfectant Labels - Vietnamese Feb 25, 2022 FST-420NP
Using Hand Sanitizers - Vietnamese Feb 25, 2022 FST-421NP
Uso de Desinfectantes de Manos (Using Hand Sanitizers) Mar 24, 2022 FST-423NP
Preparación de su Propia Solución de Sanitizante o Desinfectante (Making Your Own Sanitizing or Disinfecting Solution) Apr 18, 2022 FST-425NP
Hazards and Risks: What is the Difference and How to Evaluate for Your Operation, a Beginners Guide Jul 12, 2022 FST-428NP
A Consumer’s Guide: Ensuring the Safety of Pet Food Sep 12, 2022 FST-433NP
A Consumer's Guide: Overview of Pet Food Labels Oct 5, 2022 FST-434P
Making Safe Fermented Foods and Beverages Sep 21, 2022 FST-435NP
The Emergence of Cyberbiosecurity Concerns in Food and Agriculture Nov 1, 2022 FST-440NP
Managing Salmonella Contamination Risk in Retail Food Facilities Jan 24, 2023 FST-442NP
A Beginner’s Guide to Developing a Food Recall Plan Feb 3, 2023 FST-443NP
Organic Foods: A Guide for Consumers Mar 14, 2023 FST-444NP
Common Questions When Developing an Environmental Monitoring Program for a Food Facility Mar 9, 2023 FST-445NP
Best Food Safety Practices for Hunger Relief Organizations When Accepting, Sorting, and Storing Donated Foods Aug 14, 2023 FST-456NP
Best Food Safety Practices for Hunger Relief Organizations When Distributing Foods Aug 16, 2023 FST-457NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Accessing Virginia Market Sectors - Module 1
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-460NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Performing A Hazard Analysis - Module 2
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-461NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: General Practices - Module 3
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-462NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Pre-Plant Stage - Module 4
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 18, 2023 FST-463NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Production Stage - Module 5
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-464NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Harvest Stage - Module 6
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-465NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: Post-Harvest Handling - Module 7
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-466NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: The GAP Audit Process - Module 8
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-467NP
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks: GAP Manual Preparation - Module 9
Assessing On-Farm Produce Safety Risks Modules are a series of nine videos to assist you in creating a food safety program and preparing you for a GAP audit. These videos are based off of a series of seven factsheets (FST-400NP through 406NP) available through Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this module, we are going to explore how food safety can play into market access, the ways market sectors are similar and different from each other in terms of requirements, and why it is important to always recognize that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ for food safety standards across market sectors.
Sep 19, 2023 FST-468NP
A Guide to the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification Process Jan 24, 2018 HORT-252NP (HORT-285NP)
Guide to Identifying Food Safety Hazards in Greenhouse Systems
According to the United States Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture, sales from greenhouse-grown food crops equaled around $800 million in the U.S. Crops grown included tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and berries, with hydroponic production operations making up about 64% of the total production (cwt) (USDA Census of Agriculture, 2012). Demand for greenhouse-grown produce continues to increase, providing growers with unique opportunities to tap into this expanding market. Although greenhouse systems provide a more protected environment than field-grown systems, it is important to understand the unique food safety risks and possible sources of contamination when growing produce in these systems. Identifying food safety hazards are necessary to implementing practices that reduce the risk of contamination during the pre-plant, production, harvest, and post-harvest handling stages. Use the checklist below to guide you in asking important questions targeting possible risks at each of the greenhouse system stages.
Jul 10, 2017 HORT-254NP
Considerations for Producers Seeking Market Access to Schools Jun 11, 2019 SPES-145NP
Considerations for School Nutrition Directors Seeking to Increase Farm to School Purchases Jun 11, 2019 SPES-146NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 1 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-205NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 2 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-206NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 - Part 3 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-207NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19: Part 4 Apr 20, 2020 SPES-208NP
Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19 May 28, 2020 SPES-217NP
Assessing On-Farm Risks and Documenting Food Safety Practices to Meet Farm to School Requirements May 7, 2021 SPES-319NP
An Overview of Southern Blight, Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Aug 24, 2021 SPES-325NP
Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation for Management of Soilborne Pests in Vegetables Jul 6, 2021 SPES-326NP
Edamame in Virginia I: Products and Marketing Mar 29, 2023 SPES-454NP
Edamame in Virginia II. Producing a High-Quality Product Apr 13, 2023 SPES-455P
Edamame in Virginia III. Handling and Processing from Harvest to Package Apr 14, 2023 SPES-456P
Hydroponic Production of Edible Crops: Food Safety Considerations Jul 20, 2023 SPES-467NP
Virginia Vegetable Specialist Team Mar 31, 2023 SPES-480NP