CDFA Produce Safety Program — Free Grower Training & On-Farm Readiness — California Department of Food and Agriculture

California's produce safety team funds free PSA grower trainings and free, non-regulatory On-Farm Readiness Reviews — a friendly walk-through where staff flag food safety gaps before any inspection or buyer audit.

Typical award: Free training and free on-farm readiness reviews
Deadline: Rolling — training calendar posted each season
Type of support: Technical assistance · Food safety & risk management
Who can apply: Individual producer, Beginning / underserved, Non-profit, Tribal
Fits these operations: Vegetables & produce, Orchard & fruit, Mixed / diversified, Urban farm

Am I eligible?

California produce farm of any size
Growers subject to, or exempt from, the FSMA Produce Safety Rule

How to apply

1Check the CDFA produce safety training calendar
2Register for a free PSA grower training near you
3Request an On-Farm Readiness Review after the course
4Write your food safety plan using the reviewers' notes

What you'll need

Farm location and crop list
Any existing water test results or sanitation records

Timeline & contact

Training within a season; readiness review in a few weeks

Get help: CDFA Produce Safety Program

Ready to apply?

Applications go through California Department of Food and Agriculture, not through this site. Open the official page below for eligibility rules, forms, and contacts. For federal programs it's worth calling your local USDA Service Center or Cooperative Extension office first — they help with paperwork for free and know what your county actually funds.

Open official page

This listing was last hand-checked August 2026.

Similar opportunities

FederalRolling / continuousTechnical assistance

Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training

Produce Safety Alliance / Cornell University

Rolling — courses scheduled year-round

The standardized one-day course that satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule training requirement. Covers worker health, water, soil amendments, wildlife, postharvest handling, and how to start a written farm food safety plan. Offered virtually and in person nationwide; you receive the manual and an AFDO certificate.

Any produce grower, packer, or farm employee
Required for at least one supervisor on farms covered by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule

Free to low-cost — many states subsidize the $50–$175 fee

Food safety & risk managementIndividual producerBeginning / underservedNon-profit

Official page Full detailsChecked August 2026