We communicate this policy to our workers during training sessions continually reinforce it during the growing season. The same standard is used for any fungicide and pesticide sprays that contact the edible part of the crop. HACCP is a system that helps you identify potential food hazards and introduce procedures to make sure those hazards are removed or reduced to an acceptable level. We have our well water used for drinking and washing tested twice each growing season. Workers are instructed to throw away any product that has become contaminated by glass, metal fragments, and hard plastics or other harmful foreign objects not normally found in fresh produce and to report any incidents to their supervisor. (See Section 2.4 for water risk assessment). We put instructions on the kit to order new bandages when five or fewer are left in the kit. Building a Food Safety Plan Development of a food safety management system like HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) requires going through a series of steps, … We store pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers in closed and properly labeled containers to prevent contamination of adjacent crops and/or water-ways. The goal of our water management plan is to minimize risks associated with the water we use on our farm. If a well water sample is found to contain E. coli or coliforms, we immediately shock chlorinate contaminated wells using procedures described in the Penn State Extension fact sheet "Shock Chlorination of Wells and Springs" which is attached to this plan. Our potable water-delivery system is maintained so does not become a source of contamination of produce, water supplies or equipment with pathogens. Pallets, produce bins, totes and any materials that come in contact with the produce or the containers during handling or storage are cleaned before the harvest season begins with a detergent and then sanitized with 1% chlorine solution so they are not a source of contamination. Pond water used for irrigation is tested three times each growing season. Yes No, Penn State Keeping Fresh Produce Safe Using Good Agricultural Practices certificate, Laboratory testing procedures with evidence of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), List of buyers and up to date contact information. During the growing season, we check to see that the facilities are properly stocked with toilet paper and paper towels and that the waste container has been emptied. The bags are either burned in on-site or taken to the municipal dump. We require that the maintenance service place the facilities at least 20 feet from the fields. We sell our tomatoes and watermelon through an auction which is 2 miles from our farm and some directly to customers from our roadside stand or at a weekly farmers market which is 70 miles from our farm. Our portable toilets are serviced and cleaned every two weeks by a commercial service so they are in good working order, supplied, and that they cleaned and emptied on a regular basis. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. All aspects of the operations food safety plan are reviewed and we record any corrective actions that may have been needed. We also require them to store clean tools on a shelf in the workroom at the end of their shift. Just before and during harvest we check for damage or contamination by domestic or wild animals. To the extent possible, we continually observe our workers behavior after they use the toilet and hand washing facilities. x�b```"1�x�A��X��� T�)45� ú!�a�&�t��LgL/0�0|e�r`��$�����A��� ��l�0�2H0�l`��a�������c>�D�g��V�_V>��&�J�� ֻa�J30p30�޽���iDz��&@b�SW�j�1����y�:2-�4 These plans will assist the operator to ensure that all steps are taken to prevent foodborne illness from developing in the food … Why do we need this? The land now under cultivation for food crop production has never been used for confined animal operations. We document application dates, site, restricted entry hours, product, formulation, active ingredients, rates, size of area treated, quantity, type of pest, weather conditions, method of application, and name of applicator in our pesticide record book. If a product is coming led during or after harvest, the above label information for each crop type and block of land is provided to the buyer. (See section 1.5) Our neighbors to the south raise produce. You have now set critical limits for each critical control point. A plan is required even if the food business has a food safety certification from HACCP, ISO or FSSC. If you run a food business, you must have a plan based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. We understand that water is an efficient transport system for microbial contamination of food crops. We train them to report this to their supervisor so they can be sent home or assigned to non-produce handling areas. We believe that the potential for wind and water runoff to contaminate our crop is not a significant problem because of the layout of our farm. We believe this is a long enough time to any harmful microbes left by the cattle to die off. It consists of a sink, a source of running potable water, soap, and single-use towels, and a trash container. It is critical … If we observe animal droppings in our produce growing fields, we mark off an area within a three foot radius of the contamination site. We keep test results in a filing cabinet for two years. We use the Annual Self-audit form from Penn State Extension. 0000001700 00000 n Our Food Safety Manager has participated in the 5-hour GAP training "Keeping Fresh Produce Safe Using Good Agricultural Practices" by Penn State Extension. We keep records of all of our agricultural inputs including soil amendments, fertilizers, seeds/transplants, and agricultural chemicals so that we can link them with each of our crop types and ultimately to the buyer(s). 0000000807 00000 n Produce that has been damaged or decayed is not harvested or is culled for composting. We keep written records that show we are following the plan. We believe that our hand washing training and enforcement is adequate enough to prevent hand to food contamination. Product that is dropped or comes in contact with the ground is not harvested unless the product normally grows in contact with soil. For irrigation water, we use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recreational water standards of an average value of 126 E. coli bacteria per 100 ml taken over three samples taken during the growing season as a basis for determining if it is safe to use. When we make a sale, the invoice includes information on boxes shipped, to whom, the date of shipment, and the harvest date and field code number. Wedding bands can be worn if they fit snugly. Workers are permitted but not required to wear hats, caps, or aprons. If it is more than 1⁄4 mile away, we provide a truck or tractor pulled wagon to take them there. If the mushroom compost is delivered without a Certificate of Analysis or the results indicate the presence of human pathogens, the shipment is rejected for return to the seller. We keep a list of agricultural inputs which includes equipment, vehicles, tools, and utensils that may affect the safety of our products during normal use. We train our harvesters and handlers to consider any cut or sore to be infected and therefore a source of germs than can make someone else sick. We do not apply any commodity specific standards beyond the general standards we apply as described in this plan. We cover exposed glass on equipment and machinery with unbreakable plastic to protect against breakage. An inspection is made within 2 feet of the original incident for other signs of contamination. Only sound produce appropriate for the intended use is harvested. Boxes of packed products are placed on pallets or on shelves so they do not directly contact the floor. That they must tell their supervisor if they have a bloody cut or other serious injury or if blood or other body fluids get onto produce, containers or food surfaces. We make sure our workers use the hand washing stations after using the toilets and any time their hands might have become contaminated and specified below. I/ We have a food safety plan to ensure that the articles of food, as mentioned above, satisfy the requirements of the FSS Act, 2006 and the Rules and Regulations thereunder. We minimize risks from well water by inspecting our wells each year to make sure they are in good working order, that the casing lining is not leaking, and they are not exposed to flood waters or run-off. All farm animals are fenced to prevent them from entering the growing areas and waterways. H�t�Qk�0���)�i���-�)�A�4a�Ў The presence of wild animals in the area is inevitable and we cannot completely control them. The food safety manager will determine the cause of the incident and to correct procedures and conditions if necessary. Water is treated to achieve the microbial standards to prevent cross-contamination. As shown on our farm map, we have two high tunnels that we use for starting tomato seedlings in the spring. Our soil amendments risk assessment is documented by our description of the composition of the any animal-based manure or compost used on our farm, records of manure application (Form 2.6.1), Certificate of Analysis from our compost supplier, and the Field History and Assessment in Section 2.1 of this plan where we describe how and where we store manure and compost. Personnel responsible for the loading and unloading of produce are told not to damage produce or packaging materials to keep contamination risks low. They are also cleaned out after use if a substance other than water such as a chemical spray has been in the tank. “It is an all-inclusive … The plan describes physical, chemical, and biological hazards that could occur and procedures for controlling them, including monitoring, verification and record keeping, for the following areas: water, soil amendments, field sanitation, production environment, and worker practices. We have a cooler next to the packing and equipment building. As previously described, we inspect our wells are and shock chlorinate them if tests show microbial contamination. We train our harvesters and handlers using Penn State Extension's "Food Safety Field Training Kit for Produce Handlers.". As we described in our disciplinary policy, if we see someone not following the rules, we tell them to go back and wash their hands. If a container used to hold fresh produce or a harvesting tool becomes contaminated, they must be removed from the field and washed with detergent solution, rinsed, and sprayed with 1% bleach solution. For well water used for drinking, hand washing, washing harvested produce, and cleaning and sanitizing food contact containers. Smoking, chewing gum, eating, and drinking are only allowed in areas we have designated for breaks. This risk assessment requires that the harvesters verify using a check list that there was a pre-harvest inspection of the field and perimeter, the equipment and tools, container and packing materials, and that any conditions observed that might be a risk to contamination are documented. Drip irrigation minimizes food borne illnesses by keeping water away from the vegetable foliage and fruit and only applying it to the roots. We have purchased spikes to place on rafters to prevent bird nesting. The Food Safety Plan This food safety plan identifies all products and materials used to grow them that apply to this plan. This is because we have been growing produce or cover crops at this location for at least 5 years. 0000001111 00000 n Our cooler is well insulated and has a drain leading outside to prevent pooling of water on the floor. 128 0 obj <> endobj xref 128 8 0000000016 00000 n We consider historical water testing results, the characteristics of the crop, the stage of the crop, and the method of application. • It is a legal requirement for owners of food businesses to have a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) • This pack is designed to help small businesses put a FSMS in place • Your … After a selected lot is sold and shipped, we go through our records to verify that we can match each box shipped to each buyer it was shipped to. 0000001326 00000 n We have shown where break areas are located on our farm map. Each box is labeled to show the following information: We use a lot number system that identifies the harvest date and field (Example 072414-2 means harvested on July 24, 2014 from field 2. Because some of our harvesters speak Spanish, we post the sign in this language too. All of our agricultural chemicals comply with label directions and state and federal regulations. We do not require harvesters and handlers to wear hats or caps in the field although they may do so if they wish. We believe that the risk from neighboring farms is small. The toilet has a hand washing station. If the creek dries up, we use well water. We strive to prevent microbial contamination of fresh produce so that it is not necessary to take corrective action after a product has left our farm. We keep a record on file of the names of everyone who has been trained and the date of training. We chose these spots so they would be at least 25 feet from growing fields which we believe is far enough away to prevent contamination. Restroom cleaning and restocking log 2.2.5. We do not use cloths, towels or other cleaning materials to wipe produce unless there is a procedure to prevent cross contamination. A food emergency response plan does not apply to food … We do not contact our buyers. We purchase only new plastic containers for harvesting. On our farm we use drip irrigation from our creek which is applied directly to the soil. However, the land now in crop production was used for pastured dairy cattle over 5 years ago. Your restaurant has a plan for food safety that ensures all food articles are stored and cooked in hygienic and safe environments as laid down by FSSAI Rules and the FSSAI … There is one area that has flooded only once since we have farmed this land. If we see repeated lapses in good sanitary and hygienic practices in any farm worker we will move them to a part of the operation that does not involve handling the produce or they will be dismissed. This food safety plan identifies all products and materials used to grow them that apply to this plan. The cooler is cleaned and sanitized with 1% chlorine before harvesting and storage begins. Our pre-harvest risk assessment (See Pre-harvest Risk Assessment form 3.1) is performed by conducting a self inspection prior to the start of harvesting in each field. A better solution is to have an integrated pest management (IPM) program as part of your food safety program. (See section 2.4) Agricultural chemicals are disposed of through the Pennsylvania ChemSweep Program or through a hazardous waste facility so they do not become a source of product or field contamination. Of food crops we believe that the wild animal populations in the although... 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