Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water (Subpart E) Update
Craig Kahlke, Team Leader, Fruit Quality Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
FSMA has published a final rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water. Largest growers need to be in compliance by early April 2025. On your FSMA inspection during this year's harvest, inspectors will be checking records and educating in this first year.
This rule applies to water used up to harvest. Pre-harvest ag water includes water you use in your crop protectants and spraying the edible portion of the crop anytime during the growing season.
NOTE: This does not apply to water used at harvest and post-harvest. That final rule is unchanged and folks need to comply now.
You need to do an agricultural water assessment. This is a comprehensive look at your use of ag water on your farm and where the potential risks may be. If the risks are high, you need to have mitigation measures in place to reduce the risks.
==> This rule does NOT require water testing as part of your agricultural water assessment. However, if you currently do water testing for a buyer driven third party food safety audit, you can use these test results in analyzing your water quality and it can be part of your assessment.
==> An agricultural water system assessment--which has been required in the past and is required for a lot of third party buyer-driven audits--is only part of your agricultural water assessment. See the FSMA Produce Safety Rule: Agricultural Water Systems Inspection is Different from the Agricultural Water Assessment document from the Produce Safety Alliance, February 2025, for more information.
FDA Agricultural Water Assessment Factsheet
FDA Agricultural Water Assessment Builder
MS Word Templates (clicking this link will download a set of farm food safety templates created by the Produce Safety Alliance)
If you have not already done so, it is highly recommended that you attend a live webinar or watch a recorded video presentation. Growers who have attended the PSA Grower Training Courses in the past and who have received certificates should have been emailed the information. Sign up to view the video presentation.
Don't hesitate to contact Craig Kahlke (fruit growers) at cjk37@cornell.edu, 585-735-5448, or Robert Hadad (vegetable growers) at rgh26@cornell.edu, 585-739-4065.
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Upcoming Events
2026 Winter Fruit Schools
February 4, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Niagara County
Lockport, NY
CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel. Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!
February 5, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Wayne County
Williamson, NY
CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel. Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!
2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
Week 1: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
Week 2: Cost of Production for Fruit Crops - A new tool for tree fruit, updates on berry production in NY, and strategies for tracking and using expense data.
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
Week 3: Fire Blight Management Updates - Pathogen Biology, Defense Inducers, Biopesticides, and Pruning Therapies
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
Week 4: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
Week 5: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Week 6: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Advisory Committee Meeting - Program Updates
February 26, 2026
Spencerport, NY
Join the Lake Ontario Fruit Team for programming updates and goals. This meeting is your chance to shape the research priorities of our specialists and team. Your insights are vital to delivering the most valuable resources and support to the WNY apple industry.