NCGT-Introduction-to-Food-Safety-for-Wholesale-Success-Unit_3.2017-1.pptx.ppt

Introduction of food safety

2. Introduction to Food Safety
for Wholesale Success
This unit provides an overview of food safety regulations for agricultural
producers and food entrepreneurs.
How can food safety regulations help increase my economic success?
Prevent loss and waste due to improper cooling or storage
Reduce risk from foodborne illnesses and reduce liabilities
Provide access to wholesale markets, where buyers require food safety certifications
What will I learn from this course?
Different types of food safety regulations and how to determine what applies to you
How recordkeeping can increase your marketability
Where to find in-depth training, resources, and support

3. Lesson Outline
I.Overview of food safety regulations
I.The Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Voluntary Audit: USDA
II.Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): FDA
III.State Offices and Contacts
II.Economic Success
I.Wholesale Buyer Requirements
II.Recordkeeping & Profitability
III.Marketing Safe Products
IV.More Wholesale Resources

4. Part I: Overview of Food Safety Regulations
The Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Voluntary Audit: USDA
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): FDA
State Offices and Contacts

5. Overview of food safety regulations
Some types of food safety regulations are voluntary.
Example: USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification
Program Details: GAP is a voluntary, preventive program to ensure that you are following
accepted food safety protocols for harvesting, handling, washing, cooling, and packing
fresh produce. It is not required by USDA, but may be required by your wholesale buyer or
distributor.
USDA also maintains Good Handling Practices (GHP) programs for food handlers, GAP for
mushrooms, and Harmonized GAP certification programs for some suppliers.
Other types of food safety regulations are required.
Example: Food Safety Modernization Act
Program Details: FSMA is the first update to the U.S. federal laws about food safety in
nearly 70 years. FSMA will typically only affect businesses who meet particular revenue
levels or sell to particular markets.
Generally, food safety regulations are enforced by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

6. USDA GAP Certification Process
USDA Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP) Voluntary Certification
•Guidance that produce growers can use to prevent on-farm contamination
of fruits and vegetables
•Developed by the USDA in 1985
•Voluntary, although more buyers are requiring GAP
•Protect your farm business from the economic consequences of food
contamination
GAP is focused on preventionof contamination rather than remediation.

7. Basic Principles of GAP
•Prevent microbial contamination
•Implementation of a Food Safety Program
•Follow all applicable laws
•Traceability/recordkeeping/documentation
•4 W’s +S
•Water, Waste, Workers and Wildlife
•+ Surfaces

8. GAP Goals: Prevent Likely Sources
of Contamination
Biological: Bacteria, Yeast, Molds
Physical:Stone, Glass, Metal, Surfaces
Chemical: Pesticides, Fungicides, Food Allergens
Where does contamination come from?
Water Sources
Unhealthy Employees
Harvest Tools
Dropped produce (bacteria)
Previous Land Use
Neighbor’s farming operations

9. Preparing For GAP Certification
1. Conduct an on-farm risk assessment.
•Farm History / Land Use
•Worker Health and Hygiene
•Restroom and Sewage
•Water Sources/Quality (microbial load)
•Animals
•Manures and Soil Amendments
•Equipment and Containers
•Product Traceability
◦OTHER POTENTIAL RISKS:
•Harvesting Techniques/ Procedures
•Washing and Packing Produce

10. Preparing For GAP Certification
2. Write your food safety plan.
•Utilize the On-Farm Risk Assessment
•Write Standard Operating Procedures based on current practices
(making minimal changes to daily operations).
•YOU determine the frequency that you feel you need to document
certain risk mitigation strategies.
•Do not over-commit –make a feasible plan you can reasonably
manage with your current capacity.
•Food Safety Plan Templates are available online.
NC Cooperative Extension’s Online Food Safety Plan Course:
https://ncfreshproducesafety.ces.ncsu.edu/ncfreshproducesafety-online-gap-
food-safety-plan-creation-course/

11. Preparing For GAP Certification
3. Prepare for the audit: designate a Food Safety Officer.
•Responsible person who will ensure compliance with the Food Safety
Plan that you have written.
•Must be present during the audit.
•Can be a shared position amongst owners.
4. Prepare for the audit: gather supporting documentation.
•Farm Maps (with field numbers)
•Facility Map Overview (keep it simple)
•Training Certificates
•Water Test Results (within 60 days of audit)
•Signage

12. Scheduling a GAP Audit
5. Submit application to Auditing Body.
In North Carolina, the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer
Services Cooperative Grading Service conducts GAP audits.
http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/gradnreg/foodsafety/index.htm
•Provide multiple dates to the auditing body.
•Timing is crucial in demonstrating multiple harvest techniques.
•Requesting an audit six weeks in advance is recommended.
Cost: USDA mandates that all state auditors charge $92.00 per hour, including travel time.
Canvass other farmers in your region who may be pursuing certification to apply for an
audit on the same day. Some cost-share programs may also be available to assist you.
Make sure you are fully prepared for the audit –it will be much less expensive if you
are able to meet all standards on the first audit visit!

13. Recordkeeping
It is not necessary to duplicate records (i.e., you may
keep one set of records that meets both organic
certification standards and GAP standards).
•Field Map
•Land History
•Manure Application Records
•Compost Monitoring Records
•Cleaning Records (equipment, transportation)
•Traceability Records

14. During the Audit: Automatic Failure
•Falsification of Records
•Failure to have a Food Safety Plan or Officer
•High presence of rodents or pests
•Failure to have water test on file
• (Total Coliform & Generic E.coli –quantitative results)
•Combining bleach with detergents
•Potential wash water hazards (high risk crops)
•Any immediate public health risk
•Immediate public health risks may include (but are not limited to) raw
manure, cows in irrigation water source, birds nesting in packing
houses, employees with communicable diseases, and other risks.

15. Additional
Resources,
State Offices
and Contacts
The NC Growing Together Project (NCGT), with partners NC
Cooperative Extension (NCCE), NC State University (NC State),
and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA), sponsors
one-and two-day workshops across the state to assistfarms in
achieving GAP certification: www.ncgrowingtogether.org.
CFSA offers free one-on-one consultations:
www.carolinafarmstewards.org.
For a comprehensive list of upcoming GAP training events, visit
www.ncgrowingtogether.org.
NCGT’s Guide to Cost-Share Programs & GAP Assistance
https://www.ncgrowingtogether.org/ncgt-resources/assistance-for-farms-pursuing-
gap-certification-in-north-
carolina/?portfolioCats=192%2C195%2C187%2C188%2C189%2C211
GAP Workshop Manual (NCGT & CFSA)
https://www.ncgrowingtogether.org/ncgt-resources/fresh-produce-good-agricultural-
practices-workshop-
manual/?portfolioCats=192%2C195%2C187%2C188%2C189%2C211
USDA GAP&GHP Online Resources
https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/auditing/gap-ghp
NCDA&CS Auditing Services
http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/ncgradesvc/
Several resources are
available for learning more
about GAP and the
voluntary USDA audit
process.

16. Food Safety Modernization Act
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published an update to
the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which includes rules for various
types of food producers.
Although the official federal guidance on these rules has not yet been
released, some resources are available now for producers and food facilities
who wish to determine whether they will be subject to the new guidelines.*
The law was signed on January 4, 2011, but has not been enforced yet.
The federal government, through FDA, has been developing guidance on
how to enforce the new regulations and who is subject to them.
The update to the existing food safety legislation is the first in more than
70 years, and shifts the focus of food safety enforcement away from
responding to contamination and towards prevention efforts.
*As of February 1, 2017

17. Food Safety
Modernization Act
Exemptions:
Farms selling less than
$25,000 per year over
a three-year average
If produce is not
consumed raw
Those growing only for
personal consumption
What counts as raw?
http://bit.ly/usuallyraw
http://bit.ly/rarelyraw

18. Food Safety
Modernization Act
You may be covered fully
or with modified
requirements:
Some types of processing can
kill pathogens, which may
mean you are not subject to
full requirements
Depending on whether you
qualify as a small business
and who your end users are,
you may not be subject to
full requirements
More info:
http://bit.ly/nsacproduce

19. FSMA:
Additional
Resources,
State Offices
and Contacts
NCGT’s FSMA Resources & NSAC Flowchart
https://www.ncgrowingtogether.org/ncgt-resources/fsma-
resources-sept-
2016/?portfolioCats=192%2C195%2C187%2C188%2C189%2C211
NSAC Guidance on FSMA Impacts: Produce
https://www.ncgrowingtogether.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/09/FSMA-PRODUCE-RULE-FINAL.pdf
NSAC Guidance on FSMA Impacts: Facilities
https://www.ncgrowingtogether.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/09/FSMA-FACILITIES-FINAL-.pdf
FDA’s Page on FSMA
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/
NC Cooperative Extension FSMA Guides, Area
Agent Contacts, and Training Events:
https://ncfreshproducesafety.ces.ncsu.edu/

20. Part II: Economic Success
Wholesale Buyer Requirements | Recordkeeping & Profitability
Marketing Safe Products | More Wholesale Resources

21. Wholesale Buyer Requirements
Wholesale produce buyers & institutional purchasing
agents are enthusiastic about helping farmers
understand postharvest needs.
They see value in:
Educating growers
Providing packing information
Extending shelf life
Often, buyers will attend training workshops and other
events to help clarify needs for wholesale handling and
packing, meet farmers, and assist in the education of
growers interested in selling into wholesale markets.
Regardless of whether your farm sells wholesale or
direct-to-consumer, postharvest handling methods can
increase shelf life and provide valuable marketing tools
for your farm!

22. Wholesale Buyer Requirements
Consumers are demanding local
products, and wholesalers are
trying to meet this demand by
supporting small farms in the
wholesale market.
Many small farms, however,
represent a risk to the wholesale
buyer or distributor.
If farms do not demonstrate safe
handling practices, the buyer’s risk
of loss, poor shelf life, or liability
for foodborne diseases increased.
As a result, even though USDA
does not require GAP certification,
many buyers have their own
requirements for their vendors.
Logistics
Shelf Life
Grading, Sorting, and Packing
Communication
Warehouse Space
Reduced Liability and Risk

23. Recordkeeping & Profitability
The recordkeeping for most food safety programs is not an
undue burden. Most of these records are similar to those needed
for a comprehensive business plan, a loan application, or
applications for grants or cost-share programs to help with farm
costs.
Consistent recordkeeping is one of the most important things a
farm business can do. It’s tedious, but it provides invaluable
information on losses, harvests, and trends, as well as a shield
against liability that arises from problems with food safety along
the supply chain.
Best of all, proper recordkeeping can help you identify risks and
inefficiencies early, reducing overall costs, lowering insurance
premiums, and preventing catastrophic contamination events.

24. Marketing Safe Products
Even in direct markets, safety is a
priority for the consumer.
◦As more consumers become aware
of the risks of food contamination,
your safety practices become a
marketing tool –even at the
farmers’ market.
A premium product demands a
premium price.
◦Buyers are willing to pay more for
products that they know are safe.
◦Wholesale buyers are more likely
to take you seriously –and
negotiate with you seriously –if
they know that you take food
safety and liability seriously.

25. More
Wholesale
Resources
NCGT’s “For Producers” Resources
(including vendor contacts, market channel selection,
certifications and training, postharvest handling resources,
wholesale pricing, and more)
www.ncgrowingtogether.org
Cornell University Extension Small Farms Program
https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/
NC Cooperative Extension
www.ces.ncsu.edu
Center for Environmental Farming Systems
www.cefs.ncsu.edu
Dozens of resources are
available to help producers
who are prepared to move
into wholesale markets,
from state and national
resources.

26. Next Steps
Contact your local Extension
agent first. They can help
you navigate what food
safety regulations apply to
you and where to access the
resources you need.
https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/
local-county-center/