Development and Validation of a Novel Classification Framework for Voluntary Food Safety Adoption Among Small-Scale Produce Growers: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

This study utilizes a novel classification framework to address voluntary food safety practices among small-scale produce growers who sell primarily at West Virginia farmers' markets. Limited data exist on how these exempt growers voluntarily adopt post-harvest food safety practices. This pilot study assessed post-harvest food safety behaviors and introduced a behavioral classification framework-Willing, Ready, and Able (WRA)-to stratify engagement among FSMA-exempt small-scale produce growers. A cross-sectional survey was administered in 2025 to 40 growers at the West Virginia Small Farms Conference. FSMA exemption was confirmed by self-report or eligibility criteria; five FSMA-covered respondents were excluded, yielding a final sample of 35. Growers were categorized as FSMA-Willing (no training, confident in current practices), FSMA-Ready (training plus adoption of one to three Good Agricultural Practices(GAPs)aligned practices), or FSMA-Able (training plus adoption of four or more GAPs-aligned practices). Among FSMA-exempt respondents (n = 35), 62.8% reported training, 53.1% sanitized surfaces, and 52.5% used refrigeration. WRA classification revealed that 34.3% were Willing, 34.3% Ready, and 28.5% Able. The WRA framework introduces a novel behavioral classification system to differentiate FSMA-exempt growers by readiness, training history, and current safety practices. These findings suggest many exempt growers voluntarily implement risk-reducing behaviors, and WRA can guide targeted outreach to improve food safety in decentralized systems.