Updated: November 2, 2021

Agriculture is the largest commercial industry in Maryland contributing over $8 billion dollars to the state’s economy. The Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI) began in 2013 in response to a realization that Maryland’s farm families need more information about the laws that impact their operations. ALEI is comprised of legal specialists and other extension specialists who help farmers understand and comply with state, federal and local laws and regulations.

ALEI legal specialists stay up-to-date on legal issues and educate growers and producers on relevant laws as well as available resources.

This education comes in the form of conferences, in-person education programs, legal publications, partnerships, webinars, videos, and articles in farming periodicals.

ALEI’s resources help farmers identify legal risks and take action to protect the viability of their businesses. When Maryland’s farm families are able to understand and navigate laws that impact them, it benefits their operations, the agricultural food network, and the entire state. Go to the ALEI Homepage at: http://umaglaw.org/

ALEI Food Safety Program

ALEI provides education and resources to Maryland farmers on food safety liability, Maryland Good Agricultural and Handling Practices, and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

ALEI educates the agricultural community about the network of laws and policies which apply to and affect the food system. With the recent finalization of the implementing regulations of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Maryland’s farmers are facing new federal food safety standards which affect produce growers and the processing of farm products. ALEI Legal Specialists Sarah Everhart and Ashley Ellixson have addressed FSMA compliance in webinars, posts on the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog, and in educational workshops in conjunction with experts from the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland Extension. ALEI plans to continue its efforts to educate Maryland’s farmers on the best way to maintain compliance with the FSMA and Maryland’s Good Agricultural and Handling Practices.

In an effort to eliminate misunderstanding, the ALEI Legal Specialists teach farmers about civil and criminal liability stemming from foodborne illness outbreaks and the associated defense that may be asserted in such cases. ALEI advocates for proactively planning for food safety and food recalls. The goal of preventive food safety planning is to identify and address risks to strengthen individual farming operations and by extension, the entire agricultural food network.

If you are subject to FSMA or are interested in attending a food safety training, please keep an eye on the events section of the ALEI website for information on upcoming trainings.

ALEI specialists and partners have created an ongoing series of blog posts on the partner blog for FSMA updates. The full series is available here.

FDA Issues Final Rule for Compliance Dates for Agricultural Water

Food Safety Videos

Forms

Food Safety & Recall Readiness Presentations

Operation Specific Food Safety Preventative Measures Checklists

 

This article appears on November 1, 2021, Volume 12, Issue 7 of the Vegetable and Fruit News  

Vegetable and Fruit News, November 2021, Vol. 12, Issue 7

Vegetable and Fruit News is a statewide publication for the commercial vegetable and fruit industries and is published monthly during the growing season (April through October). Subscribers will receive an email with the latest edition.

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