The Sprout Safety Alliance (SSA), a public-private alliance, develops a core curriculum, training and outreach programs for stakeholders in the sprout production community to enhance the industry's understanding and implementation of the requirements in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, and best practices for improving sprout safety.
SSA News
SSA Training Curriculum Second Edition Available for Free Download
Safer Sprout Production for Produce Safety Rule Compliance
SSA-FDA Webinar –March 2017
The SSA hosted a FDA webinar “Overview of Draft Guidance to Industry: Compliance with and Recommendations for Implementing FDA’s Produce Safety Rule for Sprout Operations” on March 6, 2017. This guidance is intended to assist sprout operations subject to the Produce Safety Rule, and primarily focuses on assisting such operations in complying with the sprout-specific requirements in Subpart M.
Launched SSA Training Program
The SSA has launched training programs since August 2016. The SSA training includes three types of courses: SSA Lead Instructor (LI) Course, Sprouter Training Course and Sprouter + LI Combo Course.
Extension Specialists of Land-Grand Universities, State Training Directors/Managers, consultants or anyone who is interested in becoming a SSA Lead Instructor are invited to participate in SSA LI Course, previously called as Train-The-Trainer (TTT) Course.
For more information about SSA training, please click here.
SSA Training Curriculum
The SSA Training Curriculum version 1.0 was finalized in August 2016. It is 449 pages long, including 12 chapters, the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and related documents, and 43 sample documents. Version 2.0 is being developed based on the feedback received from SSA training courses and the FDA guidance for sprout operation that recently released for public comment.
News on FDA Rules
On January 19, 2017, the FDA issued a “Draft Guidance for Industry: Compliance with and Recommendations for Implementation of the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption for Sprout Operations”. Sprout growers may submit their comments online on https://www.regulations.gov/ to docket folder FDA-2017-D-0175.
The final FSMA Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption (Produce Safety Rule) was published on November 27, 2015.
Having questions on the FDA Produce Safety Rule?
Please submit your inquiry through this link: https://cfsan.secure.force.com/Inquirypage/
FDA's Strategy for FSMA Training has published The Preventive Controls Rules for Human Food and Animal Food. More information is listed under the Government Resources Link.
SSA's Accomplishments
SSA Training Courses completed in 2017:
|
2017 |
Location |
Course Type |
|
January 10-12 |
Richmond, CA |
Train-The-Trainer Course |
|
January 31-Feburary 2 |
Miami, FL |
Sprouter Training Course |
|
April 11 - 13 |
Institute for Food Safety |
Sprouter Training Course + |
|
April 20 - 21 |
Institute for Food Safety |
Sprouter Training Course
|
|
April 27 - 29 |
Victoria, BC, Canada (in conjunction with ISGA convention) |
Sprouter Training Course
|
|
May 16 – 17 |
Richmond, VA |
Sprouter Training Course |
SSA Training Curriculum Second Edition Finalized- March 2017
SSA-FDA Webinar -2016
The SSA hosted a FDA webinar “Final Rule for Produce Safety: Key Provisions in the Rule” on January 14, 2016.
SSA-FDA Webinar -2015
The SSA hosted a FDA webinar “Implementing the Produce Rule” following a brief presentation about the SSA overview and progress on May 22, 2015.
FDA honors SSA with Award!
Participants in the SSA were recognized at the 53rd Annual FDA Honor Awards Ceremony with the Group Recognition Award. This award recognizes “superior achievement of the Agency’s mission through teamwork, partnership, shared responsibility, or fostering collaboration and coalition to achieve FDA goals.” The development of the training programs and curriculum is a truly collaborative effort between the sprout industry, academia and federal, state and local government representatives, and the SSA team is honored to be recognized for their hard work.
For more details about SSA Accomplishments, please click here.