In May 2024, the FDA released a final rule revising the requirements for Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water. When these changes were first introduced, it was helpful to clarify that they specifically pertain to Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water requirements, different from the Harvest and Post-Harvest requirements already in place. So, what are the changes?

The new Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water provisions mandate an annual Agricultural Water Assessment aimed at identifying hazards and managing risks. This assessment reviews factors such as the location and nature of the water source, the method of water application to the crop, environmental conditions, and specific crop conditions that could increase the risk of hazards.

The FDA provides a helpful online version of the Agricultural Water Assessment. If you’d prefer to conduct the assessment offline or save it to your HeavyConnect account, you can access it from the HeavyConnect template library (note: the link only works if you have a HeavyConnect account) or contact our customer success team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additionally, the requirements outline two further steps beyond the assessment. After the initial assessment, the farm must analyze whether corrective actions or mitigations are needed. The FDA has released a helpful one-page guide to assist with this process. The final step is a managerial review of the assessment.

For more information on the rule, including compliance dates (April 2025, 2026, and 2027, depending on the size of your organization) and exemptions, you can visit the FDA’s release at this link here.

Please feel free to reach out to HeavyConnect at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you’d like to ask any more questions about the rule, or how to use our platform to carry out any of your Agricultural Water recordkeeping.

FSMA Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water

Requirements for Harvest and Post-Harvest Agricultural Water

By Kes Harper, Project Manager at HeavyConnect.

Introduction

In my nine-year journey in AgTech I learned that the agriculture landscape is forever evolving. The integration of technologies and digital solutions is one of the many important factors for that evolution. Every new tool, every new step on the process, every new tech update has the same goal, which is improving sustainability, efficiency, and productivity.

One crucial aspect that is usually hard to measure but has a huge impact, specially in AgTech solutions, is user experience. I think even the most advanced software sometimes can not be as user friendly as one might expect. For farmers and field workers, who often already have challenging days with tight schedules, an intuitive interface can greatly increase the adoption and effectiveness of digital tools.

Adoption & Accessibility

Farmers are more likely to embrace new technologies if they are easy to understand and use. That seems obvious, but as I read once in a book, the obvious also needs to be said. So a complex and unintuitive interface can increase amount of trainings, onboarding time, and even block new users, in some cases. A user-friendly design, simple workflows, and an easy to use interface, are definitely some keys to facilitate quicker adoption and ensure farmers can start enjoying the benefits of the tool much sooner.

Agriculture has probably one of the most diverse workers, in terms of technology proficiency. A user-centric design needs to ensure that the software is accessible to all users, regardless of their tech-savviness. This is essential to maximize the benefits of digital transformation and increase adoption.

Efficiency & Less Mistakes

The keys to facilitate quicker adoption also help other areas, like the risk of errors. That can happen to anyone using any system. However, the easier the data entry process is, the smaller are the chances of users making mistakes. Color coded buttons, big labels, clear language, simple workflows, and of course, an easy to use interface can prevent mistakes that can cause a lot of trouble, money loss, or even lawsuits, depending on the case. It’s important to know that misundertandings on the system or the complexity of the flow is not only on the user’s shoulder to learn everything. The software provider needs to care about that and do something about it.

At the end of the day, all farmers want to do is focus on their core activities. The less time they spend learning, training, and struggling with technology, the more time they can do what really matters. Most importantly, the faster they are able to do what is needed on the software, the faster they can finish their work and go back home to their families. Efficiency in AgTech is not only important to save money or produce more, but also to improve the lives of the people who feed the world.

Product is not Everything

Having a nice app, following all the best practices, making the system and the designs as simple and intuitive as possible. That might make one think this is everything you need to have a platform with great and fast adoption. Unfortunately, at least in my experience, that is just not true.

The adoption process still needs a comprehensive training and ongoing support. Nice guides, clear instructions, screenshots and video tutorials, and personalized training sessions are essential to help users become champions with the software. Additionally, it’s always good to have a support team available to unblock users during their workdays.

Conclusion

Today, seeing what I’ve seen, I dare to say that making sure digital tools are user-friendly is not optional. I believe that solutions should be as easy to use as they are effective. The farmer and field worker should always be in mind, ensuring the software is intuitive, accessible, and truly helpful in their day-to-day operations. It’s important to listen, to learn, and to keep trying to improve the days of those who take care of our food. By doing that, we can truly help them and make a real difference not only in agriculture, but in each one of their lives.

By Tárek Holanda, Head of Product at HeavyConnect.

Introduction

Central Valley, California. The heart of the agriculture in the US is where HeavyConnect has been revolutionizing the food supply chain since 2015, and since day one, our mission has always been to simplify the lives of people in ag.

One of the main keys of our success is our customer support. In the AgTech industry, where the user base often has people who may not be tech-savvy or even fully literate, delivering excellent support is not just a priority, it’s a need.

Understanding Our Users

Our users are basically in the entire agricultural supply chain, from small family farms to large scale distributors. This wide range of companies size provides a huge difference between the tech knowledge of one user to the other. This is a unique challenge. Many of our customers are not "tech users" as one might be used to. They are skilled and knowledgeable in agriculture but may struggle with “techy” tools.

Patrick Zelaya, our CEO, was able to recognize this even before our company was founded, which means that since the very beginning we have always made simplicity and user-friendliness the foundation of our product. However, even the most intuitive system can have a learning curve for those not very familiar with technology.

Personalized Support

What really sets HeavyConnect apart is our dedication to personalized customer support. We believe that every interaction with our customers is an opportunity to build a stronger relationship and improve their experience with our product. Our support team, Alejandra Sypolt and Mariacecilia Golan, is available on all business days, and we pride ourselves on our fast response times. This is one of the main things that reassures our customers that we are always there for them, ready to help with anything.

Friendly and easy to talk. Two very important keys to our customer support team. After all, agriculture is a challenging industry, and the last thing our customers want is more stress and complications from technical issues. By providing a customized, fast, and supportive assistance, our goal is to reduce their concerns and make their workday smoother.

Shaped Solutions

Our system is rich with features created to fulfill a wide range of needs, from Food Safety and Worker Training to Supplier Management and Timekeeping. While this range of features is one of our powers, it can also make the learning process challenging. Alejandra and Cecilia shine in offering personalized solutions, guiding users through a combination of flows and features to make them succeed and be able to use the full potential of HeavyConnect.

We also recognize the importance of feedback and continuous improvement. Our close relationship with our customers allows us to be constantly listening to their needs and requests. Implementing feature requests and solving issues quickly not only enriches our product but also shows to our customers that what they say has value, is appreciated and is used for us to shape our software.

Conclusion

We see our customers as partners, not as clients. More often than not, our customers see us the same way. This relationship allows us be part of their agricultural operations and day to day. This trust has been a key to our growth and success. And more important, the understanding we have of our users’ challenges helps us to provide an amazing support, adapting what we know to make sure they succeed.

Our customer support is not just a department. It’s our identity. Our essence. It’s what makes us HeavyConnect.

By Tárek Holanda, Head of Product at HeavyConnect

HeavyConnect is honored to work with North Shore EVP, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Hawaiian farmers in achieving food safety certification through the USDA's harmonized GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) standards. This collaboration focuses on providing the necessary tools and support for farmers to meet buyer requirements and expand their market access through the GroupGAP initiative.

North Shore EVP plays a crucial role in the success of the GroupGAP initiative. Their dedication to supporting farmers with administrative assistance, compliance guidance, and market connections is invaluable. By working together, we aim to enhance the overall effectiveness of the GroupGAP program by providing advanced tools that complement North Shore EVP's efforts.

HeavyConnect deeply appreciates the dedication and expertise of North Shore EVP. Their commitment to helping farmers achieve food safety certification and expand their market reach is inspiring. Our joint efforts allow us to provide comprehensive support to farmers, ensuring they have the resources and tools needed to succeed.

Achieving food safety certification can be challenging, but the collaboration between HeavyConnect and North Shore EVP addresses these challenges through:

1. Comprehensive Support: North Shore EVP offers hands-on assistance and resources, ensuring farmers have the necessary guidance to achieve certification.
2. Educational Outreach: Together, we educate both farmers and buyers about the benefits and reliability of GroupGAP certification.
3. Streamlined Processes: HeavyConnect provides advanced and easy-to-use solutions that simplify safety management, complementing the support provided by North Shore EVP.

The partnership between HeavyConnect and North Shore EVP is vital to the success of the Hawaii GroupGAP initiative. North Shore EVP's dedicated support, combined with our advanced and farmer-friendly tools, helps Hawaiian farmers achieve USDA food safety certification, expand their market reach, and ensure the availability of fresh, local products. This collaboration not only benefits the farmers but also contributes to overall food safety and sustainability in Hawaii.

To learn more about the impact of this partnership, watch the video produced by North Shore EVP here.

By Leonel Junior, CTO at HeavyConnect.