South Dakota specialty crop producers are invited to participate in the new regional Technology Lending Program, which allows farms to borrow and evaluate produce safety technologies on their own operations for up to 90 days at no cost. Available equipment includes ATP meters and swabs, backpack sprayers, UV treatment devices, and other tools designed to support produce safety practices.
Producers accepted into the program will be asked to complete surveys before and after the lending period to share their experiences and provide feedback on the technology. The long-term goal of the program is to improve technology accessibility and enhance produce safety practices on farms.
See the Technology Lending Program website for access to request forms and further details and contacts.
The program is a collaborative effort between the North Central Region Center for FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) Training, Extension, and Technical Assistance and Kansas State University Extension's Fresh Produce Safety Program, and is available to farms throughout the North Central Region.
Funding Acknowledgement
This work is supported by the Food Safety Outreach Program (Grant No. 2024-70020-4295) through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
