Pre and/or Post Harvest Operations

Harmonized GAPFood Safety Plan

For

Owner: ______

Person Responsible for Enforcement ______

I am available 24/7 at this number: ______Date ______

If I am unreachable, ______will take responsibility for our food safety. (# )

Table of Contents

Our Commitment / 2
Animal Monitoring SOP / 15
Basic Facts of Our Production / 6-8
Body Fluids SOP / 15
Chemical Applications SOP / 15
Disciplinary SOP / 15
Employee Personal Belongings SOP / 15
Field Harvest Logs / 25-26
Employee Training Policies and Form / 3-4
Field Visitors SOP / 16
Field Packing SOP / 16
Glass, Metal, Hard Plastic SOP / 16
Glove/Apron/Coverall Use SOP / 16
Harvesting SOP / 16
Harvest Containers/Bins/Packaging Materials SOP / 17
Hazardous Chemicals SOP / 17
Jewelry/Haircoverings SOP / 17
Manure/Compost/Biosolids / 13
Maintenance of Restroom Facilities SOP / 17
Pre-Harvest Assessment / 24
Sanitizing SOP / 17
Shipping/Transportation SOP / 18
Spills/Leaks From Vehicles, Machinery, Utensils SOP / 18
Toilet/Handwash Stations / 14
Toilet Spills/Leaks SOP / 18
Traceability / 19-23
Trash SOP / 18
Water Quality Issues / 10-12

Our farm has made a commitment to food safety.

  • We train all employees in their native language,before they handle produce, about our policies and standard operating procedures.We log each training and require employees sign to confirm that they understand and have received this training.
  • We give personnel with food safety assignments sufficient training so that they may meet their responsibilities and log this.
  • We keep records verifying that training in this plan.
  • We post signage in each employee’s first language on proper handwashing procedure and on our visitor’s policy(s). We train all employees on how to wash their hands and state that they must wash their hands before handling product each day and after every break or toilet visit during the day.
  • We perform Pre-Harvest Land Use Assessment(s).
  • Our Food Safety Plan addresses potential physical, chemical, and biological hazards and control procedures. We monitor, verify, and keep records on water quality, soil amendments, field sanitation, production environment, and worker practices.
  • This plan is reviewed at least annually and updated as noted. Records are maintained in this binder or as noted. We maintain records for at least two years.
  • We have and implement a disciplinary policy to maintain compliance with our policies and procedures.
  • We perform and document a self-audit of our production annually. We use a copy of the Harmonize GAP audit for that purpose. The latest self-audit is included in this plan.
  • We have a documented traceability program.

The person in charge of food safety, ______has:

  • taken at least one food safety course or workshop
  • has had experience implementing a Food Safety Plan.

Employee Health, Hygiene, and Sanitary Practices Policies

Used in our employee training.

Each year, all employees are trained using this form and SOPs in this plan. All employees are trained BEFORE they handle produce. Each must realize and understand that:

  • I am required to wash my hands before beginning or returning to handling produce.
  • I recognize that I am required to wear reasonably clean clothes that protect the food product from bodily sources of contamination.
  • I have been told that potable water may be consumed from an unbreakable container or a single-use cup (if there is a trash receptacle for it) in the field.
  • I recognize that smoking and eating are confined to designated areas, separate from produce areas.
  • I know that I am prohibited from handling produce if symptoms of an infectious disease exist. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice. I must report this to management immediately.
  • I have had training on and understand proper use of pre-harvest and post-harvest application materials, as well as non-regulated materials.
  • I have had training on and know where there are written directions for the proper use of cleaners and sanitizers and the proper concentrations for each product and use. I know where there is personal protective equipment for me to use to do this work.
  • I understand that we cannot use harvest containers for carrying or storing non-produce items during the harvest season.
  • I realize I must seek prompt treatment with clean first aid supplies for cuts, abrasions, and other injuries and report them. I have been told how to accomplish this. Minor cuts or abrasions are okay if covered with a non-permeable covering, bandage, or glove. Band aids on hands shall be covered with gloves. Kits are readily available and maintained in sanitary and usable condition.
  • I understand that I must report and make sure that any produce, container or clothing that has come into contact with blood or other body fluids is appropriately disposed of and report this to a supervisor.
  • I know I must sneeze or cough away from product or into the inside of my shirt. If I use my hands I must wash them before continuing work.
  • I understand that I must report contamination by chemicals, petroleum, pesticides, glass, a major spill or leak of field sanitation units or toilet facilities, bodily fluids or other contaminating factors. I realize there are standard operating procedures for cleanup of each of these situations.
  • I have been shown how to properly wash my hands and signs are posted to remind me of this procedure.
  • I have been instructed on the location of toilet facilities and proper use of them
  • I have been instructed to drink or eat food only in designated (non-produce) areas so as to avoid contamination.
  • I know that potable water is made available to all employees.
  • I realize there is/is not a policy about wearing hair or beard nets.
  • I realize there is/is not a policy about wearing jewelry, watches, rings.

Visitors, contractors, buyers, inspectors, auditors and other personnel in the field are required to follow the same health and hygiene polices when entering produce areas or handling produce in a GAP certified field.

Records are kept in this Food Safety Book to verify that training has occurred and that employees understood it. Signage is posted for all visiting personnel making them aware that they too must wash their hands before handling any produce.

For the Crop Year 2013

Employee Verification of Food Safety and Security Plan Principles

Employee ______

Address______

Home Phone______Cell Phone______

Each employee needs to read and sign one of these. Signed forms must be kept in the owner’s Safe Food Handling Book.

My signature indicates that the Farm Food Safety / Security Plan Program Coordinator was willing and able to answer my questions about the Farm’s Food Safety and Security Plan and that I understand the information.

  • I have received training on proper hand washing and I understand the information. I am required to wash my hands before beginning or returning to handling produce.
  • I know when and how to correctly wash my hands and that if I do not follow acceptable sanitary practices, I will be verbally corrected and retrained if needed. A second lapse in good sanitary and hygienic practices will result in dismissal.
  • I recognize that I am required to wear reasonably clean clothes that protect the food product from blood, sweat, oil, grease, or other contamination...
  • I recognize that smoking and eating are confined to designated areas, separate from produce areas.
  • I know that I may only take water in an unbreakable container into the produce field/area. No gum or tobacco.
  • I know that I am prohibited from handling produce if symptoms of an infectious disease exist. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice and that this must be logged for traceability.
  • I understand that I will be made aware of application of pre-harvest and post-harvest application materials, as well as non-regulated materials for my safety and the safety of the crop.
  • I may not defecate, urinate, or spit in the produce areas, including adjacent woods. Facilities are always available.
  • I understand that we cannot use harvest containers for carrying or storing non-produce items during the harvest season.
  • I realize I must seek prompt treatment with clean first aid supplies for cuts, abrasions, and other injuries and report them. I may not work if I have exposed open sores or wounds.
  • I have had training on and know where there are written directions for the proper use of cleaners and sanitizers and the proper concentrations for each product and use. I know where there is personal protective equipment for me to use to do this work.
  • I understand that I must report and make sure that any produce that has come into contact with blood or other body fluids is appropriately cleaned up and disposed of and report this to a supervisor.
  • I understand that I must report product contamination by chemicals, petroleum, pesticides, glass, a major spill or leak of field sanitation units or toilet facilities, or other contaminating factors. I realize there are standard operating procedures for cleanup of these situations.
  • I realize that if I do not follow acceptable sanitary practices, I will be verbally corrected and retrained if needed. A repeated lapse in good sanitary and hygienic practices will result in dismissal.
  • I realize there is/is not a policy about wearing hair coverings or beard nets.
  • I realize there is/is not a policy about wearing jewelry, including body piercings and loose objects like fake nails.

Signature______Date______

I understand there is a copy of our entire Food Safety Policy available to me to read at my convenience.

Food Safety Plan Facts

At this farm, we (circle appropriate lines) do:

  • Both crop and animal production
  • Crop production only
  • Have living facilities
  • Pack produce only

List of Equipment, Vehicles, Tools & Utensils Used in This Operation

Schedule of maintenance and cleaning for above included in Log section.

  • Machinery is clean and in good repair. There should not be any leaking or broken parts. Light bulbs and glass are protected to avoid contamination of fields.
  • Bulk handling vehicles carrying unwashed produce will be swept out on a regular basis

Crop(s) for GAP Certification / Acreage of that crop

Adjacent and Previous Land Use—Best practices

There is/is not a risk of flooding on any of these fields. Should flooding occur, we would take a microbiological test of the soil to test for e coli.

If there is a risk of flooding on any of our fields, the field(s)is/are listed here:

When adjacent or previous land use indicates a possibility of contamination, preventative measures can be taken to mitigate known risks. If the land was used as a dairy or feedlot within the last 3 years, or as a waste site at any time in the past, soil tests would be taken to assure that crops will not become contaminated. When land history indicates that the land was flooded, we test/do not test for contaminants/microbial hazards (e coli) and if we use the property, we plant appropriate crops.

Crop production areas are separated from dairy, livestock, or fowl production facilities, manure lagoons, or other sources of contamination. Physical features may help this separation, such as berms, location, slope, containment structures, grass/sod waterways, ditches and the like. If there is a concentrated feeding operation with bare ground, not covered by vegetation, within a mile of a production area, this would be a problem.

Livestock are confined or prevented from entering production areas by fencing or other enclosures. Animal waste from adjacent fields should not contaminate production areas or areas where vehicular traffic entering production areas may cross. Domestic animals do not enter production areas.

Adjacent land Use

All that apply are checked and located on our map:

  • Crop Production
  • Dairy or Livestock
  • Watershed (river, stream, pond, lake)
  • Manure storage or dumping
  • Dumping site (any)
  • Residential (with septic tanks)
  • Commercial/Industrial
  • Sewage Treatment or Waste Treatment Facility

Risksassociated with land use history or adjacent land use, including equipment and structures that we have identified for our operation include:

Facility Structures:

Facility and Equipment structures are constructed in a manner that enables cleaning and sanitation and does not serve to harbor pests and contaminants.

Cold/cool storage Units:

Chill and cold storage are sealed, drained and graded. Fixtures, ducts, pipes and overhead structures are installed and maintained so that drips and condensation do not contaminate produce, raw materials or food contact surfaces.

Water from refrigeration drip pans is drained and disposed of away from products and surfaces used for those items so as not to become a source of contamination.

Air intakes are not located near potential sources of contamination.

Field Map of Operation

Use grid on next page or insert map(s) to identify:

  • crop specific production areas and acreage
  • the name/number you assign each field for traceability
  • staging areas
  • field sanitation units
  • active wells
  • surface water sources
  • areas that flood
  • manure storage sites
  • septic systems
  • roads and their names

Water and Water Quality Policies:

Potable drinking water is available to all employees. Water used for cleaning, and washing of produce, washing of hands or washing containers used to hold harvested produce, frost control, and cooling meets the potable water standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or has been made safe by the addition of chlorine or other acceptable agents or methods before application .

Our microbiological testing is done by:______

They are a Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) or participate in a Proficiency Testing program and use testing methods that have been validated for detecting or quantifying target organisms.We follow the lab’s written sampling protocol when collecting samples for testing. We keep results and suggestions from the lab. The water tests are taken by ______, according to laboratory instructions, at the following sites:

  1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

*The lab directions followed to take these samples are enclosed in this plan.

We keep these results in this FSP for at least 2 years.

We sample well water for potability yearly, and follow the advice of the laboratory should the results not meet our potable standard. Then we would re-test until we met this level. If fecal coli form is present, the well is treated with a sanitizer and retested. Well casings are secure and well-maintained. Livestock and manure storage areas are not located near wells and pumping areas.

We ask for copies of municipal water tests annually.

We test surface water three times a year –-at planting, peak use, and harvest for e coli levels. Our standard for surface water is a mean of 126 ppm e coli.

Surface water test results play a role in determining how and if we irrigate, fertigate, or use the water source to make chemical applications. We use a risk assessment that looks at water quality, weather, and stage of development of the produce to validate our reasoning

Water System:

Water Use and Source: Only potable water is used for drinking, washing of hands and food contact surfaces and the making of ice.

Those that apply in our situation are checked below:

Use/Source / Municipal / Well / Surface Water
Drinking
Hand Washing
Cleaning Food Contact surfaces/harvested crop
Making Ice
Irrigation type(s)______
Fertilizer Application
Pesticide/Fungicide Application

If water tanks are used, they will be cleaned/or sanitized at regular intervals so as not to contaminate produce.

Ice is only made from potable water. Implements used to handle or move it are sanitized on a regular basis.

We use /do not use surface water for irrigation or chemical application. If surface water is used, it is tested three times during the growing season: at planting, peak use, and at harvest.

Irrigation water used at harvest time on products eaten raw is potable or treated to be made safe.

We have checked below the steps we take to protect surface water from direct and non-point contamination:

  • Diversion of run-off
  • Use of berms or swales
  • Use fencing or other means to keep animals out
  • By monitoring potential pollutants sources
  • By testing the water until it is adequate
  • By treating the water via filtration or chemical means.

We do a risk assessment of the suitability of the spray or irrigation water method to the particular crop.

We do a risk assessment seasonally or whenever there is a change to our water system that might introduce opportunity for contamination. Water quality needs to be greater for water used for the final rinse of a product or for overhead irrigation shortly before packaging. If water is reused, its quality and content of antimicrobial agents will be monitored.

Attached is an illustration(map, photograph, or picture) of our water source system showing the location of permanent fixtures (wells, gates, reservoirs; valves, returns and other above ground features) and flow of the water system. (including holding systems; reservoirs; or water captured for re-use). Our water is sourced from a location and in a manner that is compliant with prevailing regulations. It is separated from conveyances that might convey untreated human or animal waste.

It is constructed and maintained to prevent back siphonage backflow and cross connections between product contact water and waste water.

We conduct routine checks that verify that back siphonage and backflow prevention units function properly at least annually and document our results.

Water System Risk Assessment

Person in charge: ______

Personnel with oversight are trained or retrained as needed. (Note dates) ______

Planting Time / Growing Season / Harvest Period
Physical Hazards
Chemical Hazards
Biological Hazards
Hazard Control Procedures

Water Management Plan

Dates:
Preventive controls
Monitoring/Verification Procedures
Corrective Actions

Manure, Compost, and or Biosolids