Impacts of the Food Safety Modernization Act and produce safety rules, exemptions, and behavioral insights among small scale produce growers

While the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) sets a regulatory framework to promote the production of safe pro­duce, the exemption criteria it provides exclude many very small and small-scale farms from full compliance. Regardless of exemptions, food safety remains a shared priority across the food system. For qualifying farms, exemption status provides some benefits but can also introduce limitations which farms might need to navigate. To examine the cognitive components that shape the food safety decision-making processes of FSMA-exempt produce growers, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was adapted as a framework in this study. Growers’ beliefs and perceptions that influenced their intent to implement safe practices were inves­tigated. Growers’ responses to the benefits and limitations of the exemptions from the FSMA Produce Safety Rule were also explored as part of the cognitive analysis. Through a series of focus group discussions, information was collected from thirty Indiana FSMA-exempt produce growers. Study participants expressed deep commitment to providing safe food to their consumers. It was determined that the importance of their own per­sonal values and relationships within the food sys­tem contributed to decisions that affect their cus­tomers. A recurring theme was the trade-off between the reduced regulatory burden of the PSR and the increased liability risks in the absence of regulatory safeguards. Findings also highlighted the intersection of perceived benefits and limitations, regulatory expectations, and how availability of resources collectively shapes approaches to food safety. The findings underscore the unique situa­tion of FSMA-exempt produce growers and the importance of tailoring food safety outreach pro­grams that offer support based on practical, trust-based approaches.