Secretary of Agriculture Highlights Public

​Plymouth Meeting, PA – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was joined by Senator Amanda Cappelletti and Recurrentative Mary Jo Daley at Maple Acres Farm in Montgomery County right now To spotlight the halfnership between the Pennsylvania Dehalfment of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Farmers Union, and farmers throughout the state To primarytain regionally grown produce protected for consumers.

“Current produce Is An important An factor of a Nutritious food regimen,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “However with out farmers taking care on the farm to implement science-based mostly controls To Make constructive the protectedty of produce, consumers are In hazard for contracting foodborne unproperlyness.

“By way of voluntary on-farm readiness critiques with our Bureau of Meals Safety, Pennsylvania’s farmers are doing their half, taking proactive initiative, To Make constructive the well being and protectedty of their product for Pennsylvanians.”  

Based on the Facilities for Illness Administration (CDC), about 48 munproperlyion people in America Discover your self to be unproperly Yearly As a Outcome of of foodborne unproperlyness. Mealsborne unproperlyness is An monumental public well being burden That is largely preventable. Pennsylvania farmers do their half To cease these outbreaks by implementing food protectedty practices on the farm. The Pennsylvania Dehalfment of Agriculture coordinates with the Pennsylvania Farmers Union To practice farmers on their duties and requirements of the Meals Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, offering free and voluntary On-Farm Readiness Considers To guage on-farm practices and work with operators To reinforce the protectedty of produce for consumers.

“On the Farmers Union, we work exhausting to demystify the On-Farm Readiness Consider course of for Pennsylvania farmers and educate the enterprise,” said President of the Pennsylvania Farmers Union Heidi Secord. “We would like all farmers To understand offering protected food to consumers.”

On-Farm Readiness Considers are provided to farmers as An alternative To rearrange for the FDA’s full implementation of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. The critiques are An alternative for farmers to disbenefit clear up with inspectors and decide alternatives To deal with weaknesses and strengthen food protectedty practices To fulfill requirements of the Produce Safety Rule.

The primary week of August marks Nationwide Farmers Market Week and Pennsylvania is house to Greater than 1,000 farmers markets and on-farm markets that contribute to their communities’ well being each bodily and economically.

A PA Most properly-appreciated member And constructively one of Pennsylvania’s almost 6,000 preserved farms, Maple Acres Farm is Definitely one of almost 500 farms Who’ve taken benefit of the free on-farm review To reinforce The regular of merchandise They current. Collectively with taking this further step To Make constructive the protectedty of their produce, Maple Acres further serves their group by accepting Pennsylvania Farmers Market Vitamin Program vouchers So as that low-income households and seniors Can buy their protected, fresh produce.

“I am grateful for Pennsylvania’s farmers and farmers markets that work exhausting Daily to contribute to a protected, reliable, native food current,” added Redding. “They’re concurrently strengthening the financial system, enhancing the well being of our residents and rising the entrepreneurial spirit of our commonwealth.”

Notice: Photograph and video from the event wunproperly be out there at PACast.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Shannon Powers – 717.603.2056, [email protected]

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