MSU Extension Agrifood Safety

Landen Tetil
Produce Safety Technician

The MIOFPS Participating Farm logo permits farms which have earned a completion certificate for the MI On-Farm Produce Safety Risk Assessment to market their produce to consumers.

The Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety (MIOFPS) Participating Farm logo. It’s a mouthful, but it’s also a great tool to show off your farm’s dedication to safe food, and reassure your customers that the fresh produce they are eating from your farm was grown, harvested, and handled with their health and safety in mind. There are countless ways to market your farm’s fresh, safe produce, and the MIOFPS logo can help! Here are a few ideas to get those creative marketing juices flowing:

1. Explain the Logo - to anyone and everyone willing to listen. Explain the steps you and your farm had to go though in order to earn it, and the importance of food safety to your business. Include “why” food safety matters along with “what” food safety means.
2. Brag to Buyers - The MIOFPS certificate and logo are still fairly new to the farm certification game, so not all buyers may know about this program and its worth yet. Reach out and let your buyers know you have earned this certificate. Provide details on how this food safety certificate is significant and how it compares to other third-party programs. Some buyers across the state are starting to accept the MIOFPS certificate in lieu of a GAP audit or other requirements, so it is worth the conversation!
3. Utilize Directories & Distribution Sites - There are many online databases and directories that make it easier than ever for people to find local farms. Some sites, including the Taste the Local Difference farm finder and the Upper Peninsula Food Exchange online marketplace already display credentials for MIOFPS certified farms. Other directories may be willing to do the same; it is worth asking!
4. Create Promotional Materials - Farms that have earned a MIOFPS certificate and have signed the Logo Terms of Use are eligible to use the Participating Farm logo on promotional materials. Include the logo on farm signs,  farmer’s market banners, flyers and brochures, business cards, and anything else your farm may create for marketing and promotion. 
5. Post it online  - Add your dedication to produce safety to your farm website and social media accounts. Here’s a look at a few farms actively using the MIOFPS Participating Farm logo on their websites and marketing materials. 

1st Micro Greenery - A microgreen farm located in Grand Rapids displays the MIOFPS logo along with their MAEAP and farm logos on their website (below). At a local farmers market, the farm displays signage with farm information, including the MIOFPS logo (right). 

Green Village Farm - A farm near Grand Rapids specializing in microgreens also displays the MIOFPS logo on their website.

Blanford Farm - A diversified CSA farm located in Grand Rapids displays the MIOFPS logo on their own website (below, left). It is also listed under their Certifications on their Taste the Local Difference farm finder profile page (below, right). 

To Earn a MIOFPS Certificate or to learn more about the program, start by visiting miofps.org or contacting your local Produce Safety Technician. The Produce Safety Technician will work with you to identify, manage, and minimize risks to food safety on your farm, and help you create a comprehensive food safety plan to prepare you for the certificate process. Working with Produce Safety Technicians is always free and confidential, and there is no cost to apply for the certificate. Farms must work with a technician and complete the MIOFPS risk assessment to be eligible to apply for a certificate. Only farms with a valid certificate that have agreed to the Logo Terms of Use may use the MIOFPS Participating Farm Logo. Certificates expire every three years.

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