FDA Tools to Support Fresh Produce Growers with FSMA 204
One year from today, FSMA 204 comes into effect. How can farms both inside the US and supplying the US get prepared?
January 20th, 2025
FSMA 204 is coming next season, but there’s no need to panic. There are plenty of tools to help farms prepare for this shift in reporting. To make the process a little easier, we have prepared a 3 part series on FSMA 204 for fresh produce farms.
Today’s list of top tools to support FSMA compliance concludes the series but you can easily go back to our previous articles to help you and your farm get prepared.
- FSMA 204 Explained
- FSMA 204 Harvest Checklist
- FSMA 204 Tools & Resources
FDA Sponsored Tools
The FDA has prepared a variety of tools to support growers with FSMA 204 compliance.
If you are wondering how to get started, this short video gives a great overview of resources available (video credit to Chris Waldrop):
Our team at Farmable has dug through these resources, and below, you can find a list of our favorite (free!) tools for fresh produce growers:
- This interactive presentation provided by the FDA packs a lot of the essential information in just 11 slides. Farms can understand which Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) and Key Data Elements (KDEs) are required for everything from Harvesting to Receiving fresh produce.
- The online FSMA spreadsheet provided by the FDA can be found in 7 different languages and is and can be used to quickly and easily inform farms what they need to capture. You can download it populated or unpopulated with sample data. This way the document can also be used as a template for farms who don’t have any other record keeping software. You can also find the document in PDF format here.
- The FAQ section of the FSMA website is actually pretty well organized and easily searchable.
Beyond the FDA:
For larger suppliers, it will be worthwhile to look into the tools and training provided by organizations such as GS1. In addition to having a suite of resources, from presentations to podcasts, your organization can enlist in training on FSMA itself. You can learn more about what GS1 offers on FSMA here.
For independent farms, initiatives like FSMA 204 are yet another good reason to invest in data management tools such as farm management software. Solutions are available for all types of farms, no matter whether you grow organic or conventional.
Farmable is a farm management app designed specifically for fruit and vegetables. The user-friendly tool is built to simplify compliance for legislation such as FSMA but also Global GAP. The Farmable app is free to download on iOS and Android.
Critical Data for FSMA 204:
No matter what tool you use for FSMA compliance, it’s helpful to remember that you will need to track 2 main different types of data:
1.Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) are events such as:
- Harvesting
- Cooling
- Initial Packing
- First Land-based Receiving
- Shipping
- Receiving
- Transforming
2. Key Data Elements (KDEs) include data points such as the following examples:
- Farm Name
- Field Location
- Harvest Quantity
- Farm Address or GPS Coordinates
- Business Details for the ‘Immediate Subsequent Recipient’
Conclusion:
January 20th, 2026 is the start date for the new FSM compliance regulations. That makes 2025 the right time to set up processes and test digital solutions so your farm is ready to comply.