PSA Working Committee 2 - Common Issues

October 25, 2011 3PM EST

Meeting Minutes

1. Dial Toll-free: 866-906-9888
2. Enter Participant Passcode: 8140591

1

Attendees (15):Marion Aller, Anastasia Becker, Diane Ducharme, Dave Gombas, Cynthia Haskins, Bill Hurst, Wes Kline, Ashley Kulhanek, Luke Laborde, Liz Maynard, Joel Nelsen, Lori Pivarnik, Sonja Salas Gutierrez, Chip Simmons, Gretchen Wall

Agenda - October 25

1. Review of notes from 10/4/11

2. Next topics

  • Sanitation and Ground Maintenance
  • Recordkeeping
  • Traceability & Recall

Challenges for Sanitation and Ground Maintenance

• Chemicals are maintained at the proper temperature during storage.

  • Covered by WC 4 & WC 6
  • Inside considerations -

a. Screens/Netting/Plastic sheets separating pack area/worker areas, etc.

b. Building walls, construction of

c. Walls or lack thereof (open)

c. Expectations of small vs. large area

d. Definition of a food facility

e. Regulatory requirement vs. market requirements

f. Packing line cleaning and sanitation on a regular basis, timing into lots

g. Commodity-specific challenges will arise

  • Finding tricks to help people who have 20+ years of NOT keeping grounds mowed and tidy to change their habits
  • Finding enough space in small pack sheds to leave the recommended 18 inches distance between stacks of items and the wall to discourage rodents
  • Farmers who really want to recycle shipping cartons, but aren't ready to invest in plastic ones (Cover in WC #6)

Challenges for Recordkeeping

  • Number of records
  • Personnel required – look at making obtainable
  • Consistence of record keeping, including content
  • Incorporation into the work flow
  • Frequency of expectation for records needed
  • Developing systems that fit for particular farms (when there are so many different styles of record -keeping)
  • Reducing redundancy in recordkeeping systems - finding ways to streamline and consolidate
  • Find ways that keeping records for GAPs can also improve the financial planning for the business
  • Incorporate organic standards and recordkeeping
  • Hard-copy paper based systems for farmers who do not want to use an electronic system (majority of farmers Diane works with)

2.5.1. Requirements –

  • Currently there are RU Pesticide records, labor records, spill records, and any other certification (like NOP) requirements.
  • If one pursues GAPs certification:
  • Different records based on the 3rd party auditor matrices

2.5.2. Practical steps for implementation

  • Growers not traditionally used to keeping records
  • Examples and templates
  • Different organizations use different templates with varying information
  • Moving from the general to specific information is more pertinent to the grower
  • Follow up from trainings and resources with growers – highlighting the need for a “process” not just 1 or 2-day trainings
  • How to pick a good food safety consultant
  • Ethical consultations – consultants and then auditors

ADD TO 2.4 PRODUCE SAFTY PLAN

  • Knowledge transfer from consultant to grower

2.6. Traceability & Recall

  • Lack of phone access
  • Why do I have to do this? – knowledge of importance to growers
  • Key pieces of an effective traceability program; needs to be simplified
  • Overthinking what traceability requires – What is the expectation?
  • What’s it going to cost?
  • What is the difference between traceability and recall?
  • FDA Guide to Traceback of Fruits & Vegetables:
  • Business flow
  • Not electronically savvy – finding alternatives to technology
  • Fear from growers; Fear tactic used by trainers
  • Identification of what a “lot” is- tying this into an amount of risk
  • Market applicability for traceability programs
  • Traceability is one of the top three issues that I get resistance on, especially from farms that mostly do direct marketing:
  • "If one of my customers got sick I'd know it because we know each other and see each other all the time"
  • How can we create manageable traceability systems for small-scale, diversified growers who mostly direct market?
  • Farmer: "How can I keep traceability records when I'm always running out to the field and picking small orders (a handful of parsley) on short notice for restaurants and other special orders? I grow 30 different varieties of tomatoes alone. My farm just does not operate like a wholesale operation."
  • Helping farmers understand the significance of having traceback and recall systems (not just an exercise to do on one shipment before the auditor comes)
  • To be continued……Nov. 15th!

Thanks for another good discussion period!

Next Meeting Agenda: Please submit your agenda item to Diane before next meeting to be included:

Talk about the on-farm challenges from the following topic areas:

2.6. Traceability (continued) & Recall

  • Set Priorities for all topic areas
  • Talk about resources – possible absence of needed resources
  • Calendar for 2012 & Next Steps

Next Meeting Dates: (expect ~ one hour meetings)

  • November 15 - 3 PM EST
  • December 6 -3 PM EST

Meeting adjourned at 4:04 PM

Respectfully submitted by D. Ducharme 10/25/2011

1