Graduate Testimonies

Produce Safety University Graduates Use The Information They Learned!

Produce Safety University participants come from all across the United States and its territories to spend a week learning about produce safety so that they can safely serve safe, nutritious, and delicious produce in their Child Nutrition programs.

After the training, PSU graduates do some incredible things, like training their peers in topics learned at PSU!

Some of their testimonies are included below to showcase PSU's reach. Use the menu to learn more about how specific information has been used by grads!

Market News

One participant from Idaho spoke about the information taught about Market News during PSU.

"I now use Market News a lot to help sponsors identify prices and country of origin when it comes to Buy American documentation."

Writing Specifications

Another participant from Kentucky commented on the importance of specifications.

"We are receiving twice a week deliveries. My staff is taking the needed time to fully inspect all produce and when needed refuse produce that does not meet the required specifications. By doing so we have noticed a higher quality of produce coming in."

School Gardens

The information about school gardens was of use to one graduate who mentioned the changes made in their school garden as a result of attending PSU.

"I walked the school garden with the teacher in charge of the garden. We made changes to where the chickens and goats were being housed in relation to where the garden was, got covers on the rain barrels, spoke about how the students need to be aware and trained in handling the produce especially after working with the animals."

Working with Local Growers

PSU works to build trust in local food systems, and strengthen existing, and encourage new connections, between child nutrition professionals and local growers. One graduate highlighted how attending PSU impacted their interaction with local growers.

"I think just the relationship building with farms and feeling like I know a little bit more about what I'm discussing with them has made a huge impact."

Safe Service and Preparation

One participant from a school district noted how PSU contributed to their operations, saying they had "more confidence in making decisions related to produce procurement, service and preparation."

Purchasing from Distributors

PSU participants learn skills to help them source the best produce for their needs, which adheres to their specifications. One PSU graduate from North Carolina spoke about how PSU information assisted them in procuring produce for their operations.

"When rebidding for a new produce distributor the knowledge gained in the classes led me to ask more questions that involved meeting with the purchasing team from the distributor that had the lowest bid. We did a tour that led us into making the best decision for our school district."

If you are a PSU graduate and have a success story you'd like to share, please contact us at producesafetyuniversity@usda.gov!