Topic / Current Practice / Self Eval* / Action to take?
Values Statement about Food Safety
At ___ farm we are deeply committed to providing our customers with the highest quality produce. To this end, we follow good agricultural practices to ensure the food we grow is as safe as possible.
Cultivating Produce
Crop Damage /Contamination in field / If you see animal scat or feces in the field or on produce notify the field crew manager. Do not harvest this produce, or produce that has been damaged by animals
Harvesting Produce
Produce Temperature / During the warmest days of the year, we start the work day early in order to harvest produce in the cooler temperatures. Additionally, we have a cooled box truck that can be used on the hottest days. Produce harvested in the fields and greenhouses on warm days should be brought to the packinghouse frequently and put either in the cooler or submerged in cool water.
Field Soil on Produce / While picking in the field all leafy produce and bunches go directly into plastic containers. We do not comingle root crops with leafy crops. Containers with excess dirt should be rinsed before reusing the container for harvest
Harvest Containers / All of the totes and black containers found in the washhouse are not to be used for anything other than harvesting, transporting and storing produce. The containers marked with red paint are for harvesting produce. The containers marked with yellow are to only be used for washed produce.
Spray off all harvest containers before they are used and before putting them away.
Washing Produce
Wash Tanks / Dunk tanks are only to be used for washing produce. These tanks are cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis.
Cleaning Routine / Produce should only come in contact with clean surfaces. Wash tanks and packing tables are cleaned and sanitized at the end of every day.
First thing every Monday, each department on the farm will take 1 hour to go through the organization and sanitation checklist that pertains to their department.
The cooler is emptied and washed down with a bleach solution on the first Monday of every month.
Packing Containers / We use both new and used wax boxes. All old wax boxes should be lined with a new plastic bag in which the produce is packed.
Storing Produce
Storing Produce / Label all crates with date put in cooler with chalk, practice first in, first out. When in the cooler, remove any produce that is beginning to sprout or spoil and put in bins to go to compost pile.
Storage Duration / Except for roots crops and winter squash, no produce should remain in the cooler for more than 3 days.
Produce Contamination / Produce that falls on the floor should be assessed for contamination. if it is broken or bruised, put in compost container. If it is intact and unbruised/damaged, it can be rewashed.
Tracking Produce
Produce Labeling / Make sure all shipping cartons or pallets have the farm label on them, along with pack date and product code- see SOP instructions posted above packing table
Invoice Labeling
Worker / Visitor Health & Hygiene
Water Source / Only water from the pack house is to be used for hand washing. This water is potable well water. This water is also to be used to fill field water coolers for drinking.
Toilet and Washing sink / There is a toilet located in the washhouse facility and also employee break room. Hand washing sinks are located near the main doorways. These sinks should be used for hand washing when employees are returning to work. Employees should never go to the bathroom in the field. Let the crew manager know if you need to leave the field to use the bathroom.
Illness / Any employees with illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice should not be handling produce. An employee with one of these illnesses should either stay home, or work away from any produce. Talk to a supervisor if you are experiences any of these symptoms. Any employee with a cold and who is handling produce must wear a facemask.
First Aid / Bleeding of any cuts or injuries should be stopped immediately. In the washhouse employees can find a first aid kit mounted on the wall near the entry. After the bleeding has stopped on cuts and other injuries on hands the area should be bandaged and then covered with a latex gloves or finger cot.
Hygiene Practices / Employees are required to wash their hands prior to handling any produce, after using the restroom, after eating, and upon return to work from any breaks. Hands must be washed with soap and water for 20 seconds and dried with a single use paper towel.
Employee Training / Employees are required to read and sign the farm food safety plan prior to starting employment and on a yearly basis.
Visitor Information / Visitors are required to meet the same hygiene standards as employees. This includes washing their hands before handling any produce. Additionally no one is to eat while in the packing and washing facility.
Facility Protocols
Lunch areas / The employee lunch areas are the front porch, office, upstairs apartments, or employees’ personal vehicles (in the new building lunch will be excluded to the employee lunch room, porch, vehicles, and offices). No food is to be consumed in the washhouse facility.
Smoking / Smoking on the farm should only take place 100 ft from the entrance of any building and out of any production fields.
Additional Food Safety SOPs
Blood and body fluid contamination / Any produce that has come in contact with blood or other body fluids must be removed and disposed of to a plastic bag. Any working area that has been in contact with body fluids must be immediately cleaned using disposable rags. The area must then be sterilized with a 2% bleach solution. Always wear latex gloves when cleaning up blood and body fluids
Toilet and port-a-john accidents / If a toilet overflows or a port-a-potty tips over, water must be shut off immediately and the spill area cleaned and sanitized. Tell the crew manager immediately. Throw out any produce that may have come in contact with water from restroom or port-a-potty.
Glass or Plastic / Employees are not permitted to bring glass in to the fields or pack house. If there is any kind of plastic breakage or glass encountered in the fields, employees should remove it to a dumpster of trashcan.
Chemical contaminants / Any produce that is contaminated by chemicals, petroleum, pesticides, or other contaminates must be disposed of immediately.
*Self Eval (0 = No Action, 1 = Needs Improvement, 2 = Satisfactory or Best Practice)