Online PSA Course Details
This page describes the online course experience so potential participants can make an informed decision.
The online course uses the PSA Grower Training Manual as a resource, sent to participants once they register.
Successful completion of the online course results in participants receiving a certificate of completion from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) and the PSA.
What to expect:
Current registration requirements:
- The course is currently only in the English language. You must be fluent in English to register.
- You must live in a US State, Territory or Commonwealth to enroll because we can currently only ship manuals within the United States.
- The development team is working on a Spanish-language version and a solution to enable enrollment for international participants.
Time commitment:
- A three-week course that can be completed at-your-own-pace. The online course is expected to take 15-30 hours total for successful completion. Benefits of this extended timeframe include allowing participants time to digest the content topic-by-topic.
Format:
- Participants must read the text on their own, so this requires extensive reading. Each page in the course must be viewed by participants to meet expectations for the training.
Activities:
- Built-in self-check quizzes require participants to focus attention on key topics, with immediate feedback.
- Six Required Discussions must be submitted by participants to demonstrate they have worked through all the required material and are able to apply their FSMA Produce Safety Rule knowledge to farm scenarios. One benefit of the required discussions is they allow participants to develop a deeper understanding of the information they have read.
Additional information:
- Built in testimonials, case studies, short videos, and links to the full-text of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule subsections and relevant guidance documents help every participant expand their knowledge of Good Agricultural Practices and the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements.
Training team:
- One or two instructors dedicated to helping all participants meet the course requirements and answering questions as participants move through the material. Instructor also provide feedback to submitted Required Discussions. One benefit is that this situation allows participants to ask instructors questions one-on-one (via email) during the course.
Requirements for Completion of the PSA Grower Training Online Course:
To be eligible for a certificate of completion, participants must:
- View each page in the course
- Complete self-check quizzes in each module that focus on important details of Good Agricultural Practices and the FSMA Produce Safety Rule
- Submit six (6) Required Discussion for instructor review and work with the instructor, as needed, to achieve a “complete” on the assignment
- Complete the PSA Grower Training course evaluation
Hardware and Connectivity Necessary to Take the Online PSA Grower Training Course
The online course requires a reliable internet connection and hardware such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet or iPad. Although it may be possible to successfully complete the course on a smartphone, the size of the screen could be a limitation for this text-heavy course. Use of larger screen is strongly encouraged for the best learning experience and comfort of participants. It is important that the internet connection have sufficient bandwidth and data plan to take the online course. For more information about technical requirements to successfully complete this course, please visit the linked eCornell resource page.
How to Enroll:
Please email Joanne Rouse at joanne@wstfa.org to obtain a registration link and a code for registration fee discount.