The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) was created in an effort to assist the produce industry in developing a proactive approach to food safety. The focus is to ensure safe produce in the marketplace. Along with implementing food safety practices, farms covered by the PSR and or certified as RIGAP (Good Agricultural Practices) will need to keep some records. The following templates and additional items in this collection have been designed to assist Rhode Island produce growers in meeting the record keeping requirements.
Not all records listed in this collection are required – please refer to the RI Produce Safety checklist to assist with determining which records you must keep versus which records you should keep.
When completing the records, please be keep in mind:
- The retention time for most records is two years.
- Each record must be reviewed by an appropriate employee, such as a supervisor.
- Section 112.161 of the PSR requires that records be accurate and legible.
- Upon inspection or request by a regulating agency, a producer must be able to provide the records within 24 hours. Most farms will likely keep their records onsite, but this timeframe allows for those farms that may keep records at another location.
- Farms are allowed to keep records in a format that they choose (electronic, hardcopy), as long as they meet the PSR/RI GAP requirements. Please email sejal@uri.edu if you would like copies of the following records in a Word format.
Record Templates in PDF Format
- Worker Training Verification : (for each individual employee or volunteer): GAP/PSR requires farms to train all workers in some produce safety protocols. The person training the workers can be the farmer, a supervisor, the farm’s produce safety specialist, or a third party. Use this record to help deliver those concepts and keep track of individuals. English Version or Spanish Version
- Worker Training: (list format) This record can be used to keep track of all employees and volunteers who have received produce safety training. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Illness or Injury Report: All injuries or illness must be reported to supervisors. Use this record to document when a worker or volunteer gets sick or injured. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Restroom Monitoring: This record assists with the PSR/RIGAP requirement that toilet facilities are to be designed to prevent contamination of produce, be accessible for servicing, be serviced and cleaned at a frequency to ensure suitability of use. Toilet facilities must be supplied with toilet paper, must provide sanitary disposal of waste and toilet paper, and be located near an adequate handwashing station. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Monitoring for Wildlife and Animal Intrusion: RIGAP/PSR requires that you must conduct a pre-harvest (field) assessment for animal incursion (domestic or wild). Use this record to document any evidence of fecal contamination, crop damage or significant animal intrusion prior to harvesting. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Rodent and Pest Monitoring: The Produce Safety Rule (PSR) and RIGAP requires that farms covered by the rule must take measures reasonably necessary to protect covered produce, food contact surfaces, and food-packing materials from contamination by pests in buildings, including routine monitoring for pests as necessary. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Water Treatment Monitoring: i.e. adding sanitizer to water: The Produce Safety Rule (PSR) and RIGAP program requires farms to monitor any water that is treated (e.g., with an EPA-approved sanitizer). When using water for post-harvest activity (e.g., using a sanitizer in the wash water), the safety of the water must be monitored. Use this record to help comply with this requirement. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Corrective Actions: Use this record to help document a problem and identify why it occurred in order to prevent it from happening again. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Cleaning and Sanitizing: RIGAP/PSR requires that farms must document when and what method you use to clean and sanitize equipment. Specifically, this is the equipment used during harvesting, packing, and holding covered produce (i.e., compost equipment, harvest containers, food contact surfaces, pack area, cooler/storage, etc.). Use this record as frequently as needed. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Untreated Soil Amendment Application: Determine if your soil amendments are untreated or treated. If untreated, use this record to keep track of when and how you are applying your soil amendments. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Compost Treatment: Most farms apply soil amendments to their fields to increase fertility. If you are creating your own treated Biological Soil Amendment of Animal Origin (e.g., compost) on-farm, you must establish and keep records of the process used to treat the soil amendments. This record is used to document the steps of the treatment process (i.e., time, temperature, and turnings). English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Water Systems Inspection: A preseason inspection must be performed annually (including all water sources, water distribution systems, facilities, and equipment). English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Walk-In Cooler Temperature: This record is optional and can be used to keep track of temperatures associated with your cooler. English Translation or Spanish Translation
- Recall/Mock Recall Plan: Use this model recall plan (source: University of Maryland) to help your farm develop its unique plan for conducting mock AND real recalls. English Translation or Spanish Translation