Food Protection Trends - May/June 2021 - 268

May 2018): Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. In year 2 (October
2018 to May 2019), it was administered in 10 NCR states
(Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). In year
2, trainers provided a cover sheet along with the knowledge
assessment, which included the name of the trainer, number
of participants, training location, and date, along with the
population served. The populations were defined as follows:
no special populations (traditional grower populations),
Plain growers (Amish and Mennonite), beginning farmers,
local food growers, military veterans, minority farmers,
non-English and limited English proficiency (this dataset
includes Spanish-speaking populations only), and other
special population. The data regarding special populations
were not based on self-reported demographic information
from participants but on whether the trainer advertised
the training as being for a specific type of grower. In year
1, trainers were not asked to complete a cover sheet, but
evaluators later collected data via email about special
populations served by the trainings.
Twelve-month behavioral change follow-up survey
Follow-up surveys were administered electronically using
Qualtrics for those who use technology and in paper form
for participants who do not use technology. The only state
modification was in Wisconsin, where paper copies were
provided to all participants along with electronic invitations
to those who use technology. One or two reminders were
sent to those who use technology (this varied by state),
whereas no reminders were sent to those who received paper
copies. During year 1, food safety specialists from Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin administered the survey
to participants approximately 12 months (October 2017
through May 2018) after their participation in the PSA
Grower Trainings, to measure behavior change. In year 2,
the surveys were sent to participants between December

2018 and March 2019, approximately 12 months after their
training. Of the 1,436 individuals invited to take the survey,
364 responses were received, for a 25.3% response rate.
Statistical analysis
Knowledge assessment data were entered into Qualtrics
from the 40 trainings that were collected in year 1 (n =
860 participants) and from the 93 trainings (n = 1,745
participants) that were collected in year 2. Pretests and
posttests were matched using a unique identification number
written on each quiz and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics
26. The inclusion criteria for the analysis required that both
pretest and posttest be fully completed. Pretests and posttests
that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded, using
the select cases function. Pretest and posttest scores were
calculated and module scores were tallied, with 1 point
assigned to each question. Module scores were then rescaled
to a 5-point scale so that scores could be compared across
modules. Paired sample t-tests (comparing average pretest
and posttest), independent samples t-tests (across years and
special populations), and descriptive statistics such as the
mean were calculated. For the 12-month follow-up survey,
analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 with
descriptive statistics.
RESULTS
A total of 2,605 knowledge assessment responses were
received over 2 years: 860 paper copies from year 1 and 1,745
from year 2 (Table 2 for population analysis). The number of
responses that met the inclusion criteria was 2,286 (year 1 =
767 and year 2 = 1,519). The year 1 average total pretest score
was 16.3 (65%) of 25, whereas the year 2 average total pretest
score was 16.0 (64%) of 25. The difference in these scores
was not statistically significant (P = 0.058). This indicates
that growers' incoming knowledge was the same in years 1
and 2. The average of the 2-year total pretest and posttest
scores (n = 2,286) was 16.1 (64%) of 25 and 20.0 (80%) of
25, respectively (P = 0.001).

TABLE 2. Pre- and posttest knowledge assessment score of growers taking the Produce
Safety Alliance Grower Training between 2016 and 2019 in the North Central
region of the United States
Population
All populations (n = 2,286)
Traditional population (n = 1,713)
Plain growers (n = 284)
Minority farmers (n = 19)
Non-English speaking or limited English proficiency (n = 22)
Other special population (n = 182)

268

Food Protection Trends May/June

Pretest score

Posttest score

Significance

16.10/25
16.56/25
14.29/25
15.31/25
10.09/25
15.98/25

20.00/25
20.56/25
17.92/25
19.05/25
11.45/25
19.74/25

P = 0.001
P = 0.001
P = 0.001
P = 0.001
P = 0.035
P = 0.001
Food Protection Trends - May/June 2021

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