The findings in this study point to a growing need for information
that is salient to growers, which include attention to the
appropriate farm scale for both equipment and practices to be
adopted. The barriers in treating wash water and avoiding the use
of raw manure in fields is likely related to misperceptions among
policy makers about the practical applications of a proposed standard
across farms, and perceptions among growers about the costs
in time and money to implement these practices. A salient finding
in this research is the number of growers at all scales who do not
recognize the various pre- and post-harvest sources of contamination
and do not perceive recommended prevention practices to
be effective. The variance in significant factor scores between large
and small-scale growers in this study highlight differences in perceptions
of risk and prevention that can assist outreach professionals
in enhancing their programming, and guide policy
makers in developing standards for produce safety consisting of
benchmarks and measures that apply to all growers and metrics of
recommended practices that are applicable to specific farm scales.
This finding reinforces a need for improved messaging about GAPs
and the benefits of GAP training. This will facilitate our understanding
of why barriers exist to the adoption of prevention practices.
The FDA has acknowledged during public hearings (Produce
Safety Project, 2010) that they understand the need for FSMA
measures to be risk-based and scale-appropriate, and responding to
the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's (NSAC) comments
on the draft rules by changing several contested provisions
regarding water quality testing, irrigation, and compost use. The
FDA and the Produce Safety Alliance, who is charged with developing
the specific standards and practices, have, however, delayed