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.
Apples
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Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
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Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings
April 24, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 1 of 4
Hilton, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
May 29, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
Holley, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
June 26, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
Ithica, NY
Join specialists Anya Stansell and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month. This meeting will include Spanish Interpretation. Este mes en Español También.
July 31, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4
Webster, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School Recordings
April 8, 2025
July 31, 2025
: Recording Available for 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School
Access to the 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School recordings are now available for purchase.
3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour, Featuring Wayne County
July 31, 2025
We are excited to announce the 3rd annual Western New York Fruit Grower Tour, the premier fruit tour of the northeast brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Lake Ontario Ag Consulting, LLC! Located in Wayne County, this orchard field day will highlight new and existing products, chemistries, practices, technologies & equipment that shape the orchard industry today. The Western NY Fruit Grower Tour will again combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruit Grower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place!
Stay tuned for more info as we get into the summer!