(12/17/24) BATON ROUGE, La. — A team of researchers in Louisiana and Florida recently received nearly $500,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture to better train farm workers and underserved farmers in food safety practices.

The team, composed of researchers from the LSU AgCenter, Southern University Ag Center and Florida A&M University, will use the funds to provide interactive techniques, which the researchers believe will provide better learning opportunities for the farm workers.

These techniques, which attempt to shift away from a conventional slideshow-based training format, involve short, on-farm lessons on good agricultural practices, good handling practices, worker health and hygiene, sanitation, risk assessment and Food Safety Modernization Act produce safety requirements using hands-on activities, posters and flipcharts.

AgCenter food safety specialist Achyut Adhikari is the principal investigator for the grant. He believes the evolved training will broaden farmer knowledge of the safety practices and reach them where they are as opposed to a classroom-type environment.

“This grant allows us to bridge critical knowledge gaps among farmworkers and underserved farmers, equipping them with the tools and resources needed to meet regulatory and market-driven food safety requirements and ensure the integrity of our food system,” he said.

Adhikari said different tools and resources, including videos, risk assessment tools, standard operating procedure templates, factsheets and recordkeeping logs, will be provided to cater to the operational requirements of the growers.

The risk assessment tools will help growers assess their current operations, identify potential food safety hazards and risks in their operations, evaluate current food safety practices and identify practices to be strengthened. The program consists of onsite audits to determine and assist in the implementation of food safety practices.

Adhikari’s project colleague, Kiyana E. Kelly, director of the Center of Excellence at the Southern University Ag Center, said the training will give underserved farmers in the state a much-needed leg up in a changing landscape.

“Underserved farmers and farmworkers are the backbone of our agricultural industry,” Kelly said. “This initiative is a crucial step in equipping them with the specialized training and resources necessary to thrive in today's complex regulatory environment.”

Adhikari said considering the high number of Spanish-speaking farmers and farmworkers in Louisiana and Florida, the researchers’ goal is to offer training in both English and Spanish.

This project will also help develop and strengthen the food safety program of two minority institutions, Florida A&M and Southern, by utilizing the experiences and resources from the LSU AgCenter to reach out to socially disadvantaged and underserved farmers.

“This funding enables us to create a more inclusive and practical approach to food safety training, especially for growers who are often overlooked in conventional programs,” Adhikari said. “By providing hands-on training and tailored resources, we aim to not only enhance their understanding of critical food safety practices but also empower them to implement these practices effectively, ensuring compliance with regulations and protecting public health.”

LSU AgCenter food safety specialist Achyut Adhikari conducts an on-farm food safety workshop. Adhikari and colleagues from the Southern University Ag Center and Florida A&M University were recently awarded a nearly $500,000 grant from the USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture to better train farm workers and underserved farmers in food safety practices. Photo provided by Ivannova Lituma