Food Safety For Fruit & Vegetable Growers: What is a food safety program that incorporates Good Agricultural Practices / Good Handling Practices? Tracy Vanderpool Section Chief, Fruit & Vegetable Inspection, Colorado Department of Agriculture

AGENDA  HISTORY  WHERE DO I START? TAKE RESPONSBILITY RESEARCH/GUIDANCE  DEVELOPMENT OF A FOOD SAFETY PLAN CONDUCTING RISK ASSESSMENTS DEVELOPING SOPs  IMPLEMENTATION OF A FOOD SAFETY PLAN  BE SURE TO ASK QUESTIONS!

HISTORY OF FOOD SAFETY  CONSUMERS EXPECT SAFE FOOD  PRODUCERS ARE RESPONSIBLE  MORE REPORTED OUTBREAKS WHY?  SCIENCE ENHANCES ABILITY TO LINK ILLNESSES ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD BORNE PATHOGENES  OTHER FACTORS: AGE OF POPULATION, HEALTH OF POPULATION, CONSUMER CHOICES  CHANGING MICROORGANISMS: MORE VIRULENT STRAINS, ADAPTING TO STRESSES FDA-regulated foods linked to reported illnesses, (N=23,428 illnesses)

WHAT SHOULD FOOD SAFETY MEAN TO ME AS A PRODUCER?  I AM RESPONSIBLE  I KNOW MY OPERATION BETTER THAN ANYONE  I NEED TO BE PROACTIVE THE FOLLOWING CAN BE DANGEROUS  DO NOT GET CAUGHT USING EXCUSES BEEN FARMING FOR 75 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IMPLEMENTATION OF A FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM IS TOO EXPENSIVE TOO SMALL OF A PRODUCER GOING TO WAIT UNTIL A REGULATORY AGENCY MAKES ME

REALITY IS THAT A FOOD SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE  PATHOGENS EXIST EVERYWHERE  ALL GROWERS USE WATER FERTILIZER PEOPLE ENVIRONMENT  PATHOGENS DO NOT CARE.... WHERE A PRODUCER IS LOCATED HOW BIG A PRODUCER IS WHAT THE COMMODITY IS WHO CONSUMES THE PRODUCT ONE PERSON SICK IS TOO MANY ! ! !

Priorities What Does Food Safety Mean To Me? Consumer Protection Business Asset Protection Regulatory Mandatory vs. Non-Mandatory Buyer/Retailer Requirements Food Safety Modernization Act (FDA) Exemptions (Are Any Growers Really Exempt?) Why Have a Food Safety Plan/Program?

FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S.510) & Produce Safety Regulation Passed January 5, 2011 Focus on prevention, not detection of issues Produce Safety Regulation one of six major preventative control areas Focus on the growing, harvesting, post-harvest handling (e.g., washing, grading)

Possible exemptions by the Tester Amendment Low-risk fruits and vegetables Farms that: o Direct market more than 50% of products to qualified end users o Have gross sales of all food and food products of less than $500,000 o Sell to consumers, stores, or restaurants that are in-state or within 275 miles of where the products were harvested or processed Mark Kogut

Risk Based Approach to Produce Safety Very low risk products exempt or out of scope Standards and controls prescribed vary according to the risk of the agronomic practices utilized (e.g., water application method or soil amendment type) rather than by commodity Higher burden associated with higher risk practices James R. Gorny, FDA Senior Policy Advisor Leanne L. Skelton, FDA Senior Policy Analyst Conference Call

Funding from FDA and USDA to create a nationally recognized program for food safety on the farm Focus: Education & Outreach for GAPs, standardized training and education program to address FDA regulations Target Audience: Fresh produce growers, packers, and grower cooperatives with special emphasis on small and very small scale farms and packinghouses, regulators

DEVELOPMENT OF A FOOD SAFETY PLAN WHERE TO START?  TAKE RESPONSBILITY UNDERSTAND YOUR RISKS (BEGINNING OF RISK ASSESSMENT) UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY OPERATION IS DIFFERENT BE PROACTIVE WORK AT IT EVERYDAY  RESEARCH/GUIDANCE KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW DO YOUR HOMEWORK USING GENERAL AND COMMODITY SPECIFIC GUIDANCE GENERAL – FDASPECIFIC – FDA - Cooperative Extension (CSU) - Cooperative Extension (CSU) - CORNELL - PRODUCE SAFETY ALLIANCE - UC – DAVIS - CA LEAFY GREENS

DEVELOPING A FOOD SAFETY PLAN  MAP OUT YOUR OPERATION RISK ASSESSMENT  IDENTIFY YOUR SPECIFIC RISKS  DEVELOP MANAGEMENT PROCESSES (SOPS) FOR IDENTIFIED RISKS  DOCUMENT PROCEDURES AND POLICIES  DEVELOP CHECKLIST AND LOG SHEET TO MANAGE PROCESSES

Outlining the Production Process Select Field Evaluate bordering land Water source risks? What chemicals will be used? Harvest methods? Packing?Storage/cooling Irrigation methods Current use? History? Source? When applied? Field sanitation? Worker hygiene? Sanitation, workers, materials, etc. General Example: Produce Marketing Association Johnna Hepner

General Considerations for GAPs Risk Assessments Water Soil amendments (manure, compost, biosolids) Worker health and hygiene Sanitary facilities Field sanitation Packing facility sanitation Transportation Traceback

IMPLEMENTATION OF A FOOD SAFETY PLAN  TRAIN EMPLOYEES  PERFORM SELF AUDIT / 2 nd PARTY AUDIT / 3 RD PARTY AUDIT  EVALUATE AUDIT RESULTS AND IMPLEMENT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS  UPDATE PLAN AS NEEDED  CRISIS MANAGEMENT

What can you do NOW? You’re already well on your way for being here today! Educate yourself on food safety on the farm Develop a food safety plan Participate in PSA discussions Keep up-to-date with new regulations and GAPs

RESOURCES FDA Guidance for Industry – FDA Produce Safety Alliance – FDA, USDA, CORNELL UNIVERSITY Colorado State University – Farm to Table Food Safety National GAPs Program – Cornell University On Farm Food Safety Project – Familyfarmed.org Organic Materials Review Institute – OMRI (for help with identifying organic sanitizers)

Contact Gretchen L. Wall, M.S. Produce Safety Alliance Program Coordinator Cornell University Department of Food Science 184 Stocking Hall Ithaca, NY Phone: Visit the PSA Website nell.edu/ Tracy L. Vanderpool Section Chief Fruit & Vegetable Inspection Colorado Department of Agriculture 735 Second Avenue P.O. Box 407 Monte Vista, CO Phone: Fax: