...A Farm to Institution Initiative

Transcription

1 Food Protection Connection 1 HOUR SAN CE CBDM Approved by Melissa Vaccaro, MS, CHO School Gardens......A Farm to Institution Initiative 10

2 The concept of having a school garden to help children discover where their food comes from and to encourage healthy eating habits has bloomed across the nation. Other institutions such as hospitals, colleges, senior centers, and similar have also seen an increase in this concept. The USDA has led the initiative to enhance farm-to-institution connections. Programs such as Know Your Farmer; Produce Safety University; Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids; Healthy Gardens, Healthy You; and the like not only help students learn about agriculture first-hand and appreciate the hard work that goes into producing foods, but they additionally provide the opportunity to incorporate food safety into schools and curriculums. School gardens can be connected to biology, chemistry, economics, mathematics, and other areas of study. Many schools are making it a school-wide initiative. It may seem as easy as sticking seeds into the ground in spring and picking tomatoes off the plants a few months later, but it s not. Numerous food safety concepts must be put into place in order to grow, harvest, and serve safe vegetables and fruits to students. While this article will focus on school food gardens, anyone and any institutional facility can use these same food safety practices. Site Selection Evaluate garden location. Keep the garden site away from potential contamination such as garbage, utilities, animals, water runoff, flooding, septic systems, etc. Identify soil history. Have soil at the proposed site tested for potential contaminants such as chemicals, pesticides, and lead. Most local Cooperative Extension Services can provide assistance in this area. Create barriers. Use fencing or similar to help keep wild animals away from the garden. Use non-toxic materials for items such as raised beds, containers, stakes, and trellises. Do not use wood that may have been chemically treated or old tires. Consider using soil that has been commercially-packaged and labeled for growing food crops. This can ensure traceability. Test all water that would potentially be a source used for watering the garden, unless municipal water will be used, for potential harmful organisms such as fecal coliform. If you are incorporating cisterns, test that water as well. Water tests should be taken annually, and records should be maintained. Water should be potable and transported via food-grade buckets and hoses. Chemicals, Fertilizers, compost, and manure use Do not use pesticides or herbicides due to potential health hazards to children. Choose non-chemical methods to control pest problems. Read and follow all manufacturer instructions when using fertilizers. Only adults should handle fertilizers. Maintain Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) as required. Label all containers and dispensing containers that may contain chemicals. Avoid using raw manure, as it may increase the risk of bacterial contamination. Consider using commercially-prepared composts if manure-based compost is desired. Discuss composting with a compost expert before making your own. It s a highly complex process that requires strict attention to specific procedures and conditions. Only plant materials should be used in a compost pile. Do not add cafeteria scraps to the compost as it may contain animal products. Wear gloves when handling compost materials. Continued on page 12 April

3 Continued from previous page Growing and Harvesting Ensure all persons including staff, students, and volunteers receive basic food and gardening safety training, including: hand-washing and personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and containers used to hold produce, good handling practices during and after harvest, and proper use of gloves. Ensure the school district insurance policy covers everyone involved in the garden project. Require permission slips for student volunteers. Do not allow anyone to work in the garden or handle any produce if they are sick. A person should be clear of all symptoms of illness for 24 hours before resuming gardening. Ensure proper hand-washing is occurring. Cuts or wounds should be effectively covered on hands, arms, and legs when participating in harvesting. Use of single-use gloves is recommended for some extra protection during harvest and handling of produce. Harvest regularly and remove rotten produce from the area. Cleaned and sanitized food-grade containers should be used to hold harvested produce. The produce is not considered clean or consumable at harvest, but using cleaned and sanitized containers will eliminate the risk of other sources of contamination. Knives, scissors, and other harvesting tools should be cleaned with soap and potable water just before and after each gardening session. Using School Garden Produce Always check with your food safety regulatory agency to ensure that food from gardens is permitted to be served as part of school meals. The school garden coordinator and school nutrition director should work cooperatively to plan and implement the garden project. Produce should be accepted by school foodservice staff. Produce should not be dropped off or left when staff is not there to receive it. Follow all recommended procedures for the safe handling, receiving, storage, preparation and service of fresh produce. USDA and NFSMI have put out a great document: Best Practices: Handling Fresh Produce in Schools. Reject all produce that does not meet school nutrition program standards. Do not use produce that has been noticeably contaminated by animals or insects. Any produce that may have come in contact with flood waters should never be used. Unless normally held at room temperature, refrigerate produce upon receipt. Document use and service of school garden produce on a food production record. If produce will be further processed, such as canning, consult your local food regulatory agency to discuss approved processing methods. Check with your food safety regulatory agency to ensure that food from gardens is permitted to be served as part of school meals. 12

4 Answers to FPC Review Questions CDMs who answer the FPC Review Questions on page 14 of this issue can check their responses against the answer key found on page 47. This self check allows you to confirm your understanding of the test questions. If you don t want to have your own garden, consider using or buying locally-grown products. Using Other Sources If you don t want to have your own garden, consider using or buying locally-grown products. Producers and institutions are interested more than ever in finding ways to connect. The USDA Know Your Farmer (KYF) program has helped identify opportunities to meet these goals by developing a Farm to School Toolkit with guidance, resources, and evaluation tools for schools and producers alike, and has helped schools link up with local producers. According to the USDA, the number of schools known to be participating in farm-to-school programs jumped from 400 in 2004 to 2,300 in The USDA has also provided funding opportunities for the development of farm-to-school initiatives. In the last Farm Bill, Congress included a provision to allow schools to apply a geographic preference for locally-grown or raised unprocessed agricultural products. Check out the USDA s Farm to School website policy section for more information. But does the farm you have chosen use Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)? Will the food they provide be safe? It is your responsibility as the foodservice director to know your suppliers this would include the farm. Find a farmer. Check with your Department of Education or Agriculture or Cooperative Extension Services to see if there is a farm-to-school coordinator. You could even check out USDA s website for a list of farms in your area that have been certified in GAPs through USDA s third party auditing program. Visit Visit the farm. As crazy as it may seem, take the time to visit the farms you are considering using. When visiting, observe as many farm operations as possible, including: o Products currently growing in the field o Equipment and supplies, such as tractors, harvesting containers and equipment, cleaning and sanitizing equipment, and delivery trucks o Packing sheds, on-site storage locations, and chemical storage facilities o Storing, harvesting or packing processes, if possible and applicable. Ask lots of food safety questions of your producers. Iowa State University, Extension and Outreach has a good Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Local Produce available from their website, PM2046A.pdf This or another similar checklist will be helpful in guiding a conversation about GAP. In light of the new federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) produce safety rules, there is no lack of information on GAP and produce food safety on the Internet. Consider a school garden. This is a great way to connect the community and educate students on agricultural practices, food safety, and economic issues. Whether you decide to have a garden yourself or use produce from a local grower, food safety must be paramount. Food safety starts at the farm and should continue through the food flow until consumption. Each person, organization, or farm will play a key role in assuring that this flow from farm to fork is working properly to ensure consumption of safe produce. As a foodservice director who may use school garden products or buy locally-grown produce, it will be your responsibility to create a detailed program with checks and balances to ensure your students are protected. Grow safe, eat safe! j Melissa Vaccaro, MS, CHO is a Food Program Specialist for the PA Department of Agriculture and an Executive Board Member for the Central Atlantic States Association of Food and Drug Officials (CASA). Contact her at mvaccaro86@ gmail.com April

5 Food Protection Connection Review Questions 1 HOUR SAN CE CBDM Approved Reading School Gardens...A Farm to Institution Initiative in this magazine and successfully completing these review questions has been approved for 1 hour of sanitation continuing education credit for CDM, CFPPs. The article and questions are also online at No. 381 For ANFP Use Only Account # No. 381 Amount Charged Date Entered Please Mark Your Answer 1. When selecting a site for a school garden you should A. Call the parents in the district to ask permission B. Locate the garden in an area free from contamination C. Use only recycled water 2. The water source for watering the garden should be A. Tested for potential harmful bacteria B. Taken only from a municipal source C. Very near by the garden 3. When using fertilizers A. Mix a stronger concentration for better results B. Allow only children to apply them C. Follow all manufacturer instructions for mixing and use 6. After harvest, garden produce should be A. Delivered to the school foodservice staff when they are there to accept it B. Left on the back door of the school kitchen C. Washed with a hose outside before it enters the kitchen 7. If you are buying local be sure your grower is using A. Good Pesticide Practices (GPP) B. Good Retail Practices (GRP) C. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Must Complete: Please describe what you learned from this article: 4. You should avoid the use of A. Raw manure B. Compost C. Fertilizers 5. Harvesting tools should be A. Stored in a secure shed to assure no one can break them B. Cleaned with soap and water prior to and after harvest C. Sprayed off with the hose after use What changes will you make at your facility after reading this article? Contact Information ANFP Member No. Name Address City State Zip Daytime Phone Address Mail this form with check or money order for $12 to cover processing to: ANFP Professional Development Services Department, 406 Surrey Woods Drive, St. Charles, IL If paying by credit card, you may fax this form to ANFP at: (630) To complete these questions and earn one CE credit online, please visit You will be notified only if you did not receive CE credit. Payment Information For credit card payment, complete the following: Visa MasterCard Discover Name on Card Card # Expiration Date Signature Billing Address 14