Food Safety Resources Guide for FSMA and CQP compliance
Welcome to the Food Safety Resources Guide 2024, a comprehensive tool designed to support New Entry's mission of enhancing our local and regional food systems by empowering the next generation of farmers. In pursuit of our mission, New Entry is committed to revising and enhancing existing food safety educational materials and curriculum. We integrate the latest standards, including the FSMA Produce Rules for exempt and qualified exempt producers, and specific MDAR CQP compliance guidelines as we scale our operations. Our focus is on accessing large and growing intermediated markets, ensuring that our producers are equipped to thrive in a competitive landscape.
The Food Safety Resources Guide is a crucial component of our project: “Training beginning, socially disadvantaged, and organic specialty crop producers in food safety / FSMA compliance to access intermediated markets.This initiative is made possible through the generous support of USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2021-70020-35676.
FSMA Produce Safety Rules: The Produce Safety Rule, established by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2016, lays out rules for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables. These rules are based in scientific understanding, with the intention of preventing foodborne illness.
Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP): Commonwealth Quality, a brand designed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, serves to identify locally sourced products that are grown, harvested, and processed in Massachusetts using practices that are safe, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.
Every year, New Entry serves over 300 producers through our core training programs, where we prioritize the infusion of food safety curriculum. Additionally, our Food Hub plays a vital role in our mission, supplying a 200-member traditional box CSA program, partnering with farm-to-school and farm-to-institution accounts, and supporting hundreds of low-income families and seniors with fresh, healthy, locally produced fruits and vegetables. The Food Hub also offers post-harvest wash/pack and aggregation support to producers, further enhancing the quality and safety of our offerings.
As we continue to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of agriculture, New Entry remains steadfast in our commitment to promoting sustainable farming practices and ensuring food safety for all. We invite you to explore the resources provided in this guide and join us in our journey towards a healthier, more equitable food system.
