Creating a Customized Food Safety Plan

Transcription

1 Creating a Customized Food Safety Plan Presented by: This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

2 Disclaimer: These slides were originally presented as part of an introductory On-Farm Food Safety webinar on June 10 th, They function as an introduction to the On-Farm Food Safety tool and an overview of risk areas ONLY. This presentation is not a comprehensive guide to food safety or best practices.

3 What to Expect An INTRODUCTION to the On-Farm Food Safety tool: OnFarmFoodSafety.org An OVERVIEW of the On-Farm Food Safety risk areas A collection of On-Farm Food Safety RESOURCES This presentation is a first step toward implementing best practices on your farm!

4 Mission: Jim Slama, President We are a non-profit organization committed to expanding the production, marketing, and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food, in order to enhance the social, economic, and environmental health of our communities.

5 FamilyFarmed.org Programs Wholesale Success Workshops Over 5,000 farmers trained in 27 states Wholesale Success Manual WholesaleSuccess.org On-Farm Food Safety Over 200 manuals at or near completion Easy to use tool for farmers OnFarmFoodSafety.org

6 Our Trainer: Atina Diffley Atina Diffley has over 30 years of experience in vegetable farming for wholesale and direct markets. She is the author of a memoir, Turn Here Sweet Corn, and the lead trainer for FamilyFarmed.org s Wholesale Success Workshops.

7 Farmers are Food Handlers: More than 960,000 illnesses per year traced to on-farm practices or conditions! Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 47.8 M cases of food poisoning (1 in 6 Americans) 128,000 hospitalizations 3,037 deaths 12.3% traced to fresh produce 2% traced to practices on farms That s 960,000 illnesses per year traced to farms! You are Responsible for the Safety of your Product!

8 Why Care About Food Safety? Wellness of Your Customers Farm Liability Quality and Shelf Life Market Position Public Perception of Local Food Legal Requirements Buyer s Demands Farm Responsibility (GAP) On-farm food safety and good postharvest practices protect farmers as much as they protect customers.

9 Sources of Food Related Illness 1. Physical: glass, metal, stones, plastic, bullets, or bone. 2. Chemical: pesticide, lubricants, or cleaners. 3. Biological: bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. The most significant carriers of biological contaminants are water and fecal matter.

10 Primary Causes of Food-Related Illnesses: Microbial: Bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi Primary Carriers: Water, soil, feces, and poor sanitation Legal Requirements - Buyer s Demands - Farm Responsibility Contamination can happen at every stage of the produce handling process.

11 Food Safety Modernization Act New FDA Powers authority to order recall without proof Produce Rule and Preventive Controls Rule Virtually all fresh produce is covered Only deals with biological hazards Does not require 3 rd party certification or FSP Does require record keeping. Many buyers will likely require a FSP or 3 rd party certification. Are you EXEMPT? Some exemptions may apply to smaller growers GAP/FSMA standards will become a buyer requirement!

12 FDA Needs to Hear from You: Comment Period Extended! National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition RIGHT NOW: SIGN UP FOR UPDATES SPREAD THE WORD THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2013: SUBMIT COMMENTS SHARE YOUR STORY

13 Start Where You Are: Self-Assessment 1. Evaluate current management strengths & weaknesses to minimize food safety risks. Possible issues in this scene: Gutter Runoff Peeling Wall Paint Birds and Insects Wooden Table 2. Identify changes in management and production practices that can reduce risks. 3. Develop action plans to improve the food safety of produce. Assess risk from all sources: Physical Chemical Biological

14 Grower Self-Assessment: Evaluate Identify Action Plan: Record Keeping Worker Hygiene Herd Healthy Wild Animals Harvest Sanitation Direct Marketing Crisis Management

15 What is the On-Farm Food Safety Tool? Free and easy to use online tool OnFarmFoodSafety.org Based on Harmonized GAP Standards Simplifies complex food safety guidelines Not regulated self-directed and confidential Can be used to: LEARN about food safety risks ASSESS and REDUCE your farm s risks Risks can t be completely eliminated, but they can be identified, documented, and reduced!

16 How Does the On-Farm Food Safety Plan Tool Work? Easy to Switch to Spanish Saves incomplete and completed manuals for later use A Completed On-Farm Food Safety Manual is the first Multiple step manuals to becoming can be Food saved Safety for completion Certified! later.

17 Simple, yes or no answers. Sample Question Best Practices Links Available Extra Info, Links to resources, and recommendations are provided.

18 What if the answer is no? You can always keep your answer as NO if you need to. Tool notifies when NO may be unacceptable. Provides Links to Best Practices to Address Issues

19 Checklist with links provided: Direct links to questions and resources. What kind of action is needed? Easy to keep track of what you ve accomplished!

20 Tool Creates Confidential, Customized Food Safety Plan from your Answers! Click this link to download a full sample manual

21 Tool Addresses 11 Risk Areas: 1. General Requirements 2. Worker Health & Hygiene 3. Previous Land Use/ Site Selection 4. Agricultural Water 5. Agricultural Chemicals 6. Animals & Pest Control 7. Soil Amendments & Fertilizer 8. Field Harvesting 9. Transportation (Field to Packinghouse) 10.Packinghouse Activities 11.Final Product Transport

22 Risk Area #1: General Requirements Record Keeping Traceability Accountability Recall Do we need a Food Safety Policy? SIMPLE statement (One Sentence) Commitment Examples provided: Best practices are not the same on all farms, but the goal of minimizing risk is one that all farmers share.

23 Design Record Keeping for Success Avoid duplication. Document as part of work, not as a separate activity. Instruct staff at the same time as record keeping. Improve staff performance and accountability. Record keeping can be as routine as brushing your teeth.

24 Simple Record Keeping Ideas Date is important! Employees initial when they complete a task, tracking accountability. Farm map for marking harvest, pest control, or field issues. Write templates in permanent marker on a whiteboard, then simply fill out with dry erase, snap a photo, and wipe clean each day!

25 Traceability is Key! Farm Name Farmer Name 1234 Address Street City Village, ST Certified Org. by MOSA, Viroqua, WI. 20# Cucumbers E AD Harvest Date / Field Code Packing Date/ Packed By Account For Product One Step Forward / One Step Back

26 RECALL 1. What portion of your farm is vulnerable in the event of a recall? 2. For how long? Split farm into named/numbered fields in order to better isolate possible issues.

27 What if something goes wrong?? Accountability Traceability Documentation Recall Ability Tool provides all necessary documentation, in the event that a recall and corrective action are necessary.

28 Risk Area #2: Worker Health & Hygiene Minimize risk from: Toilet Facilities and Sewage (Proper location, maintenance, usage) Worker Injury (Blood/Bodily Fluids) Worker Illness (Sick leave procedure) Open Communication, Training, and Standardized Procedures are Key!

29 Worker Sanitation Build a Simple Field Washing Station:

30 Minimize Risk at all Levels Better! Not Ok! Pathogens can hide under nails and rings. Not Required! Best if contamination risk Is elevated.

31 Risk Area #3: Previous Land Use/Site Selection Forms Available for Documentation Key: Be Aware of Previous Land Uses and Risks from Surrounding Land Uses.

32 Document: Field Dimensions History Water Adjoining Use Crops Fertility Irrigation Pest Management

33 Risk Area #4: Agricultural Water Description and Assessment of Irrigation/Field Water Systems Documentation Water Testing Record Keeping Worker Training Customize your plan by water source!

34 What agricultural water must be tested? At minimum: all water that comes into contact with edible portions of a plant Testing addresses fecal/sewage contamination Different types of E. coli, Salmonella Corrective action must be taken if contaminated Frequency of testing varies by source Keep detailed water testing records!

35 PROPOSED FSMA PRODUCE RULE How often must agricultural water be tested? Beginning of growing season, every 3 months thereafter, unless: Water from an approved municipal source Water is treated Every 7 days during growing season for untreated surface water with opportunity for runoff. At least monthly during growing season when underground aquifer water is transferred aboveground and maintained to minimize runoff.

36 Know Your Risks What s wrong with This picture? Spray is higher risk than drip.

37 Risk Area #5: Agricultural Chemicals If you use chemicals in the field you MUST document: Which chemicals used and when Worker training and safety precautions Proper application Equipment cleaning away from water sources Appropriate storage Chemicals MUST be used in accordance with local, state, federal, and/or NOP regulations!

38 Risk Area #6: Animals and Pest Control Document risk factors from domestic and wild animals on your farm. Customize strategies for your fields and pack area. Keep a log of pest management actions. Domestic animals, including pets and livestock, should be kept OUT of fields during the growing season!

39 Scout Manage Record Bird-Scare Balloons and other low-cost strategies work in the field and the pack area! Watch out for signs. Deer droppings can contain the strain of E. coli, O157:H7, that sickened 15, and killed one.

40 Risk Area #7: Soil Amendments and Manure Record keeping is key for composting and other soil amendments Make sure all compost and manure is pathogen free All soil amendments must be properly stored Keep poop off of food! (Unless it s properly composted.)

41 Know Your Risks Fully composted material can be safe on fields closer to harvest but not untreated manure! Equipment used to spread untreated manure can give pathogens a free ride. CLEAN equipment after use!

42 PROPOSED FSMA PRODUCE RULE Minimum Application Intervals for Manure Untreated manure, no contact during application, minimal contact after application 9 months until field can be used. Manure or Sewage Sludge treated to meet microbial standards for L.m., Salm., E.c. O157:H7 0 day period before field use Composted to meet microbial standards for... no contact during and after app. 0 day period Composted to meet microbial standards for... minimal contact during / after app. 45 day period

43 Risk Area #8: Field Harvesting Best Practices and Risk Assessment Forms are Provided: Risk assessment before every harvest is recommended. Written policies and documentation are key!

44 Equipment Post your policies: Establish cleaning and storage systems for harvest equipment!

45 Higher Produce Temperature Higher Respiration Rate Quicker Deterioration CROP 32 F 41 F 50 F 60 F 70 F 80 F Asparagus Broccoli Potatoes, late Respiration Rate, mg CO 2 kg -1 h Beets, root For every 18 F increase in temperature the rate of decay increases 2-3 times.

46 Harvest Early! 7 A.M. 58 Ambient Air 45 Broccoli 4 P.M. 88 Ambient Air 82 Broccoli 37 Difference: Huge impact on shelf life and safety.

47 Pick it clean! Good harvest protocol can reduce pathogens and deterioration.

48 Harvest Care and Culling This little crack could turn into

49 all of this contamination and loss! Punctures and bruises provide an opening for foodborne illness pathogens.

50 Know Your Market Bunching, banding, and trimming in the field can help maximize efficiency and minimize damage!

51 Risk Area #9: Field to Packinghouse Transportation Keeping track of equipment condition is key. Logs provided for record keeping!

52 Keep It Cool Time is $ in hot weather! Avoid direct sun! Move produce to a cooling shed often!

53 Risk Area #10: Packing Area Provides diagnostic and best practice information for: Packhouse design Cleaning protocols Use of bins and totes Packing materials Wash water sanitation Sanitation chemicals Wash protocols Cooling protocols Record keeping Employee training

54 Packinghouse Design Must be kept clean and tidy Adequate drainage Easy-to-clean building materials Food safety can be accomplished without a state-of-the-art shed.

55 Minimum Packhouse Requirements A roof for shade and protection from the elements Potable water Access to toilet and hand washing facilities A system to sanitize equipment and tools Rodents, flies, birds and pets must be kept out Cold storage is necessary unless: You ship immediately after cooling You only grow crops that are not sensitive to warm temperatures Safe food-contact surfaces Designated space not shared with machines/repair

56 Keep Drainage Areas Clean Indoor drainage areas (right) should be cleaned much more frequently than outdoor areas (left). Pathogens can multiply in standing water!

57 Keep Food Contact Surfaces Clean 1. Wash with soap and potable water 2. Rinse with potable water 3. Sanitize by spraying with a sanitizing solution 4. Record cleaning If you don t record it, you didn t do it!

58 Standardize, post, and document cleaning procedures!

59 ALL Wash Water MUST be Potable Municipal water is tested by government. Test groundwater biannually Do NOT wash with surface water: river, stream, pond, lake. Keep records of testing results Test all water for pathogens and nitrates!

60 All Produce Should Be Shipped Clean Do Not Wash Sensitive Crops!

61 Spray Wash Very Dirty Produce Hoses or pressure washers can be customized for the job!

62 Hydro-Wash, Hydro-Cool, Hydro-Crisp Tank wash greens but not roots. No more than 10 difference between water and produce. Only one layer of produce should be in a tank at once. Water must be clean and free of pathogens!

63 Sanitizing Agents for Fresh Produce Ecolab Rinse Required ph Control NOP Allowed Use Tsunami NO NO YES Produce only SaniDate NO NO YES Produce & food contact surfaces BENEFITS of Peroxide based cleaners: No Runoff or Dumping Restrictions Environmentally-Responsible Chemistry No Rinse or Ph Control Required Chlorine Bleach NO scented/oxidized YES YES YES Produce & food contact surfaces

64 Keep wash water clean: Test and record sanitizer product concentration Efficacy decreases with time and dirty water Test, discard, and change water as needed Avoid re-contamination of sanitized items

65 Room Cooling Options for Cooling Forced-Air Hydro- Cool Water Spray Time (hrs) 20 to to 10.1 to to to 0.3 Ice Keep detailed temperature records of all cooling!

66 Cooling and Respiration Rates Full table available in the Wholesale Success Manual. WholesaleSuccess.org Cool Produce to the Core! Immediately removing field heat is KEY to extending shelf life!

67 Risk Area #11: Final Product Transportation Clean your vehicle regularly Train employees to pack and unload Keep records OR Document 3 rd party pick-up and transit

68 Next Steps: 1. Visit to start your own self-assessment and Food Safety Plan! 2. Develop a plan that fits YOUR farm. 3. Implement the plan: Organization Training Follow-through Self-audit 4. Have a 3 rd Party Food Safety Audit to become GAP Certified!

69 Other FamilyFarmed.org Resources Wholesale Success Manual 300+ page, comprehensive guide to Food Safety, Postharvest Handling, and Sales WholesaleSuccess.org Wholesale Success Trainings Look for one in your area this fall or winter

70 Thank You! For more Food Safety Information please visit : - Food Safety Tool - Extra Resources - Wholesale Success Manual - Grower Self-Assessment - Extra Resources - RMA Resources - Crop Insurance Info