🌱 Welcome to 2025 and the first edition of Fresh & Safe News for the year!
As we step into a new year, I’d like to extend my gratitude to our industry partners, stakeholders, and the broader fresh produce community for your continued engagement and commitment to food safety.
This edition dives into some of the key priorities shaping the year ahead, including the new Primary Production and Processing (PPP) Standards for melons, berries, and leafy vegetables, which take effect on 12 February 2025 in Australia. FPSC is committed to supporting industry through targeted outreach, guidance, and collaboration, ensuring businesses have the resources they need to meet these new requirements.
We are also expanding our Horticulture Food Safety Initiative (HFSI), strengthening our Community of Practice, and launching sub-groups to facilitate deeper technical discussions on emerging food safety challenges.
Another major highlight for 2025 is the return of the International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium (IFPSS) on 29-30 July in Sydney, a key opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate. In response to industry feedback, we are also launching the Fresh & Safe Podcast, providing expert insights and practical guidance in an accessible format - stay tuned for updates.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Annual Industry Engagement Survey - your feedback continues to shape our priorities. This newsletter provides further details on these initiatives, along with insights into regulatory updates, survey findings, and industry engagement opportunities.
As always, FPSC remains focused on delivering practical, science-based solutions to support industry. I encourage you to explore the newsletter, stay engaged, and reach out if you need assistance.
Warm regards, Farzana CEO, Fresh Produce Safety Centre
Horticulture Food Safety Initiative Update
with Susannah Roelofsz
The Horticulture Food Safety Initiative (HFSI) aims to elevate Food Safety Standards in the ANZ Fresh Produce Industry with an initial focus on melons, berries, and leafy vegetables. We are pleased to share our latest progress update on this project.
Fresh Produce Safety Community of Practice (COP)
Our Community of Practice continues to grow with over 85 members representing the fresh produce supply chain in Australia and New Zealand. This group fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange among Stakeholders across the supply chain and ANZ. As our community continues to grow, we are looking to form sub-COPs with specific focus areas this year. Join the conversation and stay connected with the latest industry insights!
With the new Primary Production and Processing (PPP) Standards for melons, berries and leafy vegetables coming into effect on 12 February 2025 in Australia, our focus remains on supporting growers through targeted outreach and industry collaboration.
Some of the key activities we have planned for the coming months include:
Working with regulators and peak industry bodies: We are collaborating with regulatory agencies and industry groups to help ensure growers receive the necessary guidance and resources to meet the new requirements through various outreach activities.
Fresh and Safe podcast series: Our new podcast will feature industry experts discussing key food safety topics, regulatory updates and best practice for compliance. More details including launch dates and episode topics will be shared soon!
International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium: Planning is underway for this year’s symposium, which will bring together growers, regulators, retailers and food safety professionals from across the Australia New Zealand fresh produce supply chain for a range of informative sessions and valuable networking opportunities.
If you are a primary producer or processor of melons, berries or leafy vegetables in Australia, we encourage you to stay informed and reach out for support as needed. AUSVEG have collated a useful summary of updates for each State and Territory, or you can also access more information or assistance from the below web links:
The Fresh Produce Food Safety Helpdesk was launched in 2024 as an accessible resource to address food safety inquiries from growers, particularly small to medium, those who are non-certified or English second language producers. The helpdesk includes an online chat, email support, and a mobile line, with a set of FAQs covering frequently raised food safety topics. Our Helpdesk has been receiving enquiries, but we want to remind industry members that this resource is here for you, and it’s for FREE! Whether you have a question about food safety standards, need compliance advice, or require guidance on where to find the right support or information, our Helpdesk is designed to assist you with all your needs.
FPSC Annual Industry Engagement Survey 2024: Key Insights
Thank you to everyone who participated in our annual industry engagement survey. Your feedback helps shape the support, resources, and initiatives we provide to the fresh produce sector.
As promised in our previous newsletter, here are some key takeaways from our 2024 survey:
Who engaged in the survey?
The survey saw participation from a diverse range of industry members across Australia and New Zealand, including growers, processors, wholesalers, regulators, and food safety professionals.
How do industry access food safety information?
Websites, industry newsletters, and certification schemes were ranked as the most used sources for food safety information
79% of respondents prefer sources that are trusted and regularly updated
72% of respondents have benefited from FPSC resources.
The Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety remain a valuable tool, with over 50% consulting them annually or when updates are made.
The newly launched fresh produce safety helpdesk has seen promising awareness, with 41% likely to use it for technical enquiries.
What does industry want from workshops and our symposium?
97% of respondents support continued webinars following the annual symposium
Panel discussions and expert-led presentations were the most requested session formats for future events.
What are the key food safety challenges and priorities?
Food safety challenges highlighted include regulatory changes, climate-related risks, and the need for practical guidance on compliance.
Respondents expressed interest in more targeted training resources, risk management tools, and updates on government food safety policies.
How aware is industry of the upcoming regulatory changes (Australia)?
64% of Australian respondents were unaware of the new horticulture standards coming into effect in February 2025, highlighting the need for further outreach.
Thank you again, your input is invaluable in shaping the direction of our support services as we continue to focus on delivering trusted, accessible, and practical food safety resources to support the industry.
For more details or to explore our resources, visit fpsc-anz.com
29-30 JULY 2025, SYDNEY
The International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium (IFPSS) will return to the Novotel Sydney Brighton Beach this July.
Mark your calendar now, because you won’t want to miss the premier event on the global food safety event calendar!
The IFPSS will once again bring together global and local experts, regulators, and industry leaders to discuss emerging challenges, regulatory developments, and innovative solutions in fresh produce food safety.
More details will be shared soon and early bird tickets are expected to be released shortly.
Watch the recap video via the link below for all the highlights from IFPSS24 and a sneak peek at what’s in store.
Exhibition spaces and sponsorships are selling fast already! Contact Jody at events@fpsc-anz.com for all the details.
AUSVEG Knowledge Hub
FPSC Silver supporter, AUSVEG has launched its revamped and expanded Knowledge Hub
The AUSVEG Knowledge Hub is packed with guidance, research updates and practical resources tailored for vegetable growers.
The Hub, housed within a streamlined AUSVEG website, is the largest online repository of technical information for the Australian vegetable, potato, and onion sector. It contains more than 3,100 resources from more than 1,600 research projects – and is still growing. You can search for what you need by keyword, format, topic or crop.
26-27 | New Zealand Horticulture Conference, Wellington NZ MORE
FPSC-ANZ Supporters
Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand acknowledges the financial support from the following organisations:
Founding Partners: IFPA Australia-New Zealand Limited | The University of Sydney
Platinum Supporters: Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd | Woolworths Ltd Gold Supporters: ALDI | Costa Group | IFPA A-NZ Silver Supporters: AUSVEG | Fresh Select | Harris Farm Markets Pty Ltd | Horticulture New Zealand | OneHarvest | Perfection Fresh Australia Pty Ltd | Seeka | T&G Global Limited | Zespri International Bronze Supporters: APAL | GS1 Australia | MG and Premier Fresh Australia | Metcash Food and Grocery | PMFresh | United Fresh New Zealand
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Fresh Produce Safety Centre - Australia & New Zealand, Building F22, Room 517, Level 5, City Road, Life Earth & Environmental Sciences Building, The University of Sydney, NEW 2006, Australia, +64 27 620 2729
