How Indiana farmers — and you — can keep fresh produce safe to eat

Southern Indiana is a hub for fresh produce, with its farmlands growing 50% of the state’s produce. The region is also a hub for food safety. 

Scott Monroe, Purdue Extension food safety specialist, has spent over a decade working with Extension colleagues to research and share food safety best practices with Indiana growers. Monroe is in homebase Vincennes — surrounded by high concentrations of tomatoes, cantaloupe and watermelon producers — where he works closely with Indiana growers to keep food safe from harvest to homes. 

What are the risks of fresh produce 

Any fresh produce comes with some level of risk because it is purchased raw. 

When produce is cooked, it kills harmful pathogens like E. coli, listeria, salmonella and cyclospora. With no “kill step,” it’s especially important to prevent uncooked food’s contact with harmful pathogens.  

When fresh produce is handled properly from farm to fork, the risk to consumers is greatly reduced. 

How farmers prevent illness at the source 

Creating safe, fresh produce starts on farms. 

Monroe hosts trainings for producers and farm workers with the Safe Produce Indiana team, comprised of Monroe, Senior Extension Administrator Tari Gary, Professor of Food Science Amanda Deering, and Food Safety Outreach Specialist Katheryn Parraga. The team presents requirements of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA's) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), guidelines from the Indiana Department of Health and research about how everyday occurrences on the farm can introduce risk. As Monoe says, the teams strives to be “a one-stop-shop for all things produce food safety.”

“We talk to growers about how to control risk in the areas of water, waste, wildlife and workers — what we affectionately call the four W’s,” Monroe said. “If you can control those factors, you go a long way towards reducing the overall risk of something accidentally getting into the food system.” 

Growers who attend food safety programming, Gary said, are more conscious of food safety risks on the farm and are more likely to implement mitigation strategies and good agricultural practices. In 2025, 173 growers received a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training certificate through the FDA-recognized curriculum delivered by Safe Produce Indiana. In course evaluations, 95% of participants agreed or strongly agreed with the statements, “This training increased my knowledge of food safety requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule,” and “I am confident that I can implement practices to address food safety risks.”

Monroe often reminds people that farmers and consumers have the same goal: a quality product with as little risk as possible. “I've never met a farmer who goes out in the morning and says, ‘Yeah, it's a great day to make someone sick.’” 

How Consumers can keep produce safe

It’s important for consumers to properly handle fresh produce at home as well. 

“People need to understand that fresh produce is essentially a raw agricultural commodity, so it needs to be treated as such,” Monroe said.

Future food safety research 

Food safety research ensures that consumers continue to stay safe. The Produce Safety Team continues to research the ways foodborne illnesses spread and what producers and consumers can do to prevent it. Purdue Extension then creates a path for Hoosiers to learn the latest guidance. 

The Safe Produce Indiana Team is in the process of scheduling training and programming for the upcoming winter season. For more information about on-farm produce safety, and for a list of upcoming produce safety trainings and programs, please visit https://safeproducein.com.