November 30,2011

At the recent Southeast Vegetable & Fruit Expo in Myrtle Beach, Debbie Hamrick with the    NC Farm Bureau offered an update on the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Click Here for November 30 FSMA Update.

N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force - Food Safety Modernization Act Webinar

January 2011

The N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force (NCFPSTF), along with the N.C. Farm Bureau Federation (NCFB), present a recorded webinar regarding the recent Food Safety Modernization Act. The webinar is moderated by Diane Ducharme, a co-chair of NCFPSTF and GAPs Program Coordinator with N.C. MarketReady, and Debbie Hamrick, a co-chair of NCFPSTF and Director of Specialty Crops with NCFB.

(Watch the Webinar Recording)

• Not sure if you can watch the webinar? Review the System Requirements.
• Having problems viewing the webinar? Visit the N.C. State University Elluminate FAQ page for solutions and support.

Questions from the original presentation on January 26, 2011 are being gathered and will be posted in the future. For more information or with questions, please contact Diane Ducharme at diane_ducharme@ncsu.edu.

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• N.C. MarketReady Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family GAPs Training Calendar
  

For more information about local trainings, contact your local Cooperative Extension Center.

Agents interested in additional resources that supplement the curriculum should visit N.C. MarketReady’s Agent Resources page.

Contact Diane Ducharme, coordinator of the N.C. MarketReady Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family GAPs program, with questions and comments. Feel free to contact the N.C. Cooperative Extension personnel listed with each event for specific details about those trainings, including registration, fees (if applicable) and directions.

Agents can click here to view a detailed explanation of the N.C. MarketReady Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family GAPs Training Curriculum.

Tier 1
The basic level of fresh produce safety training. The topics covered in the seven hours of instruction include fresh produce safety basics, pathogen introduction, GAPs for field practices, Good Handling Practices (GHPs) for packing facilities, proper health and hygiene, water quality, site selection and manure management. A certificate of attendance will be issued to participants as well as listing in a searchable database open to retailers and the general public.

Tier 2
Focuses on risk identification and management. The topics covered in the seven hours of instruction include transportation, traceability and recalls, liability and insurance options, crisis strategy and risk management. A certificate of attendance will be issued to participants as well as listing in a searchable database open to retailers and the general public.

Tier 3

Focuses on risk implementation workshops that offer greater depth and interactions to aid farmers in the process of attaining GAPs certification. Topics may include updates from new laws and regulations, outbreak and crisis information, and traceability and performance standards. A certificate of attendance will be issued to participants as well as listing in a searchable database open to retailers and the general public.

*The “Find the Answer to GAPs Audit Questions” session on Nov. 30, 2011 will take place during the Fresh Produce Safety Session at the SE Vegetable and Fruit Expo in Myrtle Beach at Kingston Plantation Embassy Suites Hotel. From a panel of food safety experts, participants will be able to interact and ask their questions getting to the “fruit” of their concerns with on-farm fresh produce safety programs. Many learning opportunities have surfaced from emails from growers, questions posed at trainings, educational mock audits and personnel conversations providing insight on documentation needed and how to minimize microbial on individual farms. Grower questions and materials from trainings will be utilized to guide these dynamic conversations aimed in the areas of water, waste, worker hygiene and wildlife issues.

Speakers include members of the N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force

Dr. Keith Baldwin, Extension Specialist – Horticulture, N.C. A&T State University
Dr. Benjamin Chapman, Assistant Professor, Extension Food Safety Specialist, Department of 4-H Youth Development and Family & Consumer Sciences, N.C. State University
Diane Ducharme, Extension Associate, GAPs Program Coordinator, N.C. MarketReady Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family
Dr. Chris Gunter, Assistant Professor, Extension Specialist, Department of Horticultural Science, N.C. State University
Dr. Trevor Phister, Assistant Professor, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, N.C. State University

Invited Presenters

Dr. Larry Beuchat, Distinguished Research Professor, University of Georgia
Dr. Renee Boyer, Assistant Professor, Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech
Dr. Michelle Danyluk, Assistant Professor, University of Florida
Dr. Angie Fraser, Associate Professor, Food Safety Education Specialist, Clemson University
Dr. Kenneth Petersen, Audit Programs Coordinator, Fresh Produce Branch, USDA
Dr. Rob Williams, Associate Professor and Department Extension Leader, Virginia Tech

Funding from N.C. A&T State University. Sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force and N.C. Cooperative Extension.

View the Event Flier

August 3, 2010

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (lunch will be included from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.)

Location: CEFS Service Building

201 Stevens Mill Road

Goldsboro, NC 25730

Auditor: NSF Davis Fresh

Registration: Required by July 23^rd, 2010

August 4, 2010

Time: Growers 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Agents 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

(Lunch will be included from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.)

Location: CEFS Service Building

201 Stevens Mill Road

Goldsboro, NC 25730

Auditor: NSF Davis Fresh

Registration: Required by July 23^rd, 2010

Commodities: Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant

Contact

Aubrey Mast
acmast@ncsu.edu
N.C. MarketReady
N.C. State University at the N.C. Research Campus
600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC  28081
704-250-5426

June 29, 2010 – 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

To register, contact Lenoir County Cooperative Extension or Eve Honeycutt at eve_honeycutt@ncsu.edu or 252-747-5831.

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Lenoir County
1791 Highway 11 55
Kinston, NC 28504
252-527-2191

Find Using Google Maps

Search the GAPs Grower Directory for a list of growers across the state who have been trained by N.C. Cooperative Extension agents using the Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Training Curriculum. The GAPs Trained Grower Directory is a database of producers who have completed one or more training tiers.

August 5, 2010 – 8:30 a.m.

August 6, 2010 – 1:00 p.m.

To register, contact Pender County Cooperative Extension or Charlotte Glen at charlotte_glen@ncsu.edu or 910-962-7849

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Pender County
801 S Walker St
Burgaw, NC 28425
910-259-1235

Find Using Google Maps

Search the GAPs Grower Directory for a list of growers across the state who have been trained by N.C. Cooperative Extension agents using the Fresh Produce Safety – Field to Family Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Training Curriculum. The GAPs Trained Grower Directory is a database of producers who have completed one or more training tiers.

Video Full Text:

As concerns about food safety increase, farmers are experiencing more pressure than ever to minimize risks when it comes to fruit and vegetable production. As a result, they are encouraged to become GAPs certified. GAPs stands for Good Agricultural Practices and is a key component of food safety measures required by some produce buyers, such as grocery stores. Buyers consider GAPs certification an important step to help minimize the risk of pathogen contamination in the food supply chain.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension is working with growers across the state to help them learn more about third-party audits required for GAPs certification.  In late July, Cooperative Extension presented a mock third-party audit at Premier Produce in Wilson. The mock audit was conducted by Michael Fagan and Brooke Stephenson of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Throughout the audit, growers and Extension agents engaged in open dialogue with the auditors about the process.

Premier Produce was in the midst of cantaloupe harvest at the time of the mock audit. David Harrell, field manager, and Sarah Lancaster, office and packing house manager, were on-hand to discuss the operation, answer questions and participate in the educational audit. Premier Produce has been audited in the past as required by their contract buyer and is currently GAPs certified. This year the company anticipates yields of 1.2 to 1.4 million melons from 180 acres.

The audit process begins when a grower contacts a 3rd party auditor, like the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, to request GAPs certification.  This mock audit used the USDA GAPs audit matrix and the NCDA auditor’s criteria. An audit may change depending on which matrix and third party auditor the grower works with. When initiating an audit, the grower will be asked to send the auditor records, such as an aerial map that shows fields and facilities. These maps may help identify potential sources of contamination in proximity to the production area. An auditor works with the grower to schedule a visit when the produce is being harvested. It’s up to the grower to specify which commodities and which fields or packing facilities he or she wants certified.

On the day of the auditor’s visit, the auditor will review the grower’s food safety plan before the inspection begins. The auditor will assess whether the grower has implemented all items outlined in the food safety plan. The auditor then uses a “matrix” where areas of potential concern are assigned a value and points are awarded for compliance. GAPs certification requires that 80 percent of the possible points are awarded. The inspection includes the physical assessment of each field or facility being considered for certification. The auditor will observe harvesting operations and may question the harvest crew to ensure that they have a working knowledge of the food safety plan.

The auditor is not a regulator; rather, the auditor assesses the grower’s food safety plan content, implementation and supporting documentation.  For example, at Premier Produce, the food safety plan requires each field worker to wear gloves, apron and a hat or hairnet. The auditors observe that all field workers are following the policy, but they do not stipulate what the policy should or should not entail.

The field assessment also includes an evaluation of field equipment. Tractors should be clean with no fluid leaks and all light covers in good repair to avoid glass breakage in the packing bins or anywhere in the product flow zone. The product flow zone is anywhere the produce travels from field to end transport. The auditors also do a visual inspection for bin cleanliness. Nothing should be in the bin except produce; however, it is common practice to designate one bin for trash. A trash bin should be clearly marked with bi-lingual signage.

While it may be common practice to throw cull fruit in field aisles, it is never acceptable—and may result in an automatic audit failure—if partially eaten fruit is observed in the field or anywhere in the product flow zone. Visual inspections can easily identify bite marks in partially eaten fruit. Additionally, no outside food should be allowed in the product flow zone, with the exception of drinking water. Premier Produce uses municipal water in the packing house and for drinking water in the field. Annual documentation from the municipality asserting the water quality is required for the audit. At Premier, irrigation water is supplied from a pond that is on-site. The pond water is tested monthly during the growing season for a variety of pathogens including generic E. coli.  Given the open source nature of the pond, it is difficult to deter domestic animals and wildlife. Since Premier has made no efforts to prohibit wildlife from the pond, due to cost considerations, the company would not receive the points associated with that item on the matrix.

According to current North Carolina Department of Labor regulations, one toilet and hand-washing facility should be available for every 20 workers, no more than one-quarter mile from the field. Auditors carefully examine the portable toilets for cleanliness, including a schedule of cleaning and maintenance. A hand-washing station must also be near the toilet, where the auditor will check the availability of water, soap and paper towels. Signage, in appropriate languages, reminding employees of hand washing is a must. Auditors will also be interested in a response plan for spills or leaks for the sanitary facilities to ensure waste does not flow into the field or the irrigation pond.

There are several reasons an audit can automatically fail. Examples include: the presence of an immediate food safety risk, evidence of pests, unsanitary conditions and falsification of records. At the point when an automatic failure is observed, the audit will stop and the grower will be issued a corrective action form. The grower will determine which measures must be taken to correct the problem and reschedule the audit. GAPs certification is valid for 365 days from the date of certification. During that time, the grower agrees that the auditor can make one unannounced visit.

Premier also shared information about their traceability system.  For example, harvest bins in the field are tagged with a card that identifies the variety, block number, crew identification and harvest date. As the melons move through the packinghouse a coded sticker is applied to: each cantaloupe, the case and the pallet.

In keeping with their food safety plan, Premier representatives asked everyone who entered the packing house to wear a hairnet.

The mock audit was coordinated by Diane Ducharme, GAPs Program Coordinator and Extension Associate in Horticulture & Food Safety with the Program for Value-Added & Alternative Agriculture. For more information about fresh produce safety and GAPs certification, visit other sections of this Web site.

1. Producing Fresh Produce

From planting to consumption, there are many steps in the process of growing, harvesting, packing and distributing where microbial pathogens can enter into the food chain. By identifying the microbial hazards and applying Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), growers can take necessary steps toward reducing the risk of microbial contamination in fresh produce. The “Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables” outlines eight basic principles that will prepare growers to recognize and address the areas where the risk of microbial contamination is the greatest. The North Carolina fresh produce safety initiative is focused on developing resources to help producers gain knowledge of fresh produce safety practices and comply with current commodity-specific guidelines. Educate yourself! More information can be found on this Web site. Find it in the Good Agricultural Practices and Commodity-Specific Guidance sections.

Things you can do:

• Attend a Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) training workshop – Start by educating yourself. Contact your local N.C. Cooperative Extension agent for more information.
• Perform a self assessment – Start looking at your operation for areas of potential microbial contamination.
• Test your water source – Water is one of the primary vectors for potential contaminants on the farm. Currently, there is a water analysis cost share program available through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

2. Preventing Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables can occur throughout the fresh produce supply chain when produce is contaminated from another source. There are three main ways that cross-contamination can occur: produce to produce, equipment/containers to produce and people to produce. Produce commonly comes in contact with potential sources of pathogenic microorganisms such as soil, organic fertilizers, water, workers, harvesting containers and equipment.

Understanding the environment where these pathogens normally live and thrive is an essential first step. The next step is being aware of the conditions that promote microbial growth and the conditions that reduce or eliminate microorganisms. The final step is to assess how all the activities on the farm are interrelated and might result in cross-contamination. Water is a prime example of the interrelated element that is present in numerous farming activities. Water can be a useful tool for reducing potential contamination; however, it may also serve as a source of contamination or cross-contamination. Water is used in every step of production from irrigation in the beginning to washing and perhaps cooling prior to shipment.

Things you can do:

• Map your farm operation with “critical area of risk” – Create a comprehensive map of your farm showing the fields in production with field designation numbers, acreage, crops, packing house facilities, landmarks that define the property, sanitary facilities, adjacent land use and water sources (including water pumps). Use arrows to indicate the flow of produce from the production area to the packing and transporting areas. Look for possible areas where contaminants (water, manure, workers) might enter the product flow areas and make a list of the areas where possible cross-contamination might occur.
• Visit FAQs to learn more about the most common food-borne pathogens including where they live, what symptoms they cause and how they’re transmitted.

3. Practicing Personal Health & Hygiene

In past investigations, the Food and Drug Administration found that poor personal hygiene and improper hand washing are among the most important causes of food-borne illnesses. It is important to ensure that all personnel comply with proper health and hygiene practices, including those not directly involved with production but who may be involved with on-farm practices that could lead to produce contamination. Problems associated with these outbreaks include poor personal hygiene, poor hand-washing, improper glove use, open sores and eating while on the job. It is essential to establish an educational program that trains employees on proper hand-washing procedures, use of sanitary facilities and the importance of good hygiene practices.

Human hands naturally carry good and bad bacteria. Bacteria can be transferred to many objects throughout the food supply chain, with fruits and vegetables offering a good medium for bacterial growth. More importantly, many of the fruits and vegetables are eaten fresh, without a “kill” step, like cooking, that other foods might undergo. Proper hand washing is an important first line of defense against harmful bacteria. Wash your hands!

Things you can do:

• Create a policy that outlines the proper procedures and techniques for hand-washing. Include plans to offer educational programs that will provide guidance for implementing the policy.
• Train all personnel on proper hand-washing techniques and procedures.
  • Make sure all employees and visitors wash their hands with soap and running water before starting work, after breaks, after using the bathroom and after touching unsafe materials (tools, containers, machinery, human body parts).

Proper hand-washing procedure involves the following steps:

1. Wet hands with potable water, apply soap and work up lather.
2. Rub hands together for at least 20 seconds.
3. Clean under the nails and between the fingers.
4. Rinse under potable running water.
5. Dry hands with a single-use towel.

Additional resources for Food Safety Month:

• Healthy People 2010 Update
• Update from N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force

• A Web site, www.ncfreshproducesafety.org, with resources for growers, educators and consumers.  Take a look at what you can do for Food Safety Month.
• A fresh produce safety curriculum and three train-the-trainer workshops across the state in fall 2008 and spring 2009. The curriculum package is scheduled to go to counties in November.
• Research on water quality issues, human pathogen and plant interactions, and microbiological mitigation.
• Research on current levels and types of traceability systems in North Carolina, including ability and effectiveness to respond to investigations of food-borne illnesses or recall situations, and ways to make improvements.
• A pilot study on the development of traceability templates for three differently sized operations that are typical of N.C. growers, packers and shippers. The study will look at cost-effective ways to comply with current guidance from the Produce Traceability Initiative.
• More than 90 presentations on fresh produce safety education throughout the state and region.
• Food safety plan templates for growers to use and adapt for their operations. The templates are based on the USDA’s Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) Audit.
• A plan for delivering rapid information updates during an outbreak in an affected commodity.
• Crisis communications and management training, including intensive on-camera training, for commodity groups, producers and members of the N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force.
• Collaborative efforts throughout the Southeast for a more integrated fresh produce safety response.

Numerous Extension campus and field faculty, from both N.C. State University and N.C. A&T State University, are members of the N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force.  The co-chairs of the task force are: Dr. Ben Chapman, Department of 4-H Youth Development and Family and Consumer Sciences; Diane Ducharme, Program for Value-Added & Alternative Agriculture; Dr. Chris Gunter, Department of Horticultural Science; and Dr. Trevor Phister, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Science.

In addition to the above ongoing efforts, the Task Force has accomplished the following:

• Developed a strategic plan with vision statement and goals for N.C. fresh produce industry.
• Organized a 30-member policy team of growers and industry and association representatives to provide insight into how federal and state legislation and regulations affect North Carolina. The team provides one-on-one interaction with the N.C. Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., to discuss pending produce safety regulations and to convey frontline experiences from N.C. farms.
• Maintained active representation on the Governor’s Food Safety and Defense Task Force.
• Delivered educational opportunities for commodity leadership.

Updates for both Extension fresh produce safety efforts and the overall N.C. Fresh Produce Safety Task Force are posted on this Web site.

Additional resources for Food Safety Month:
Healthy People 2010 Update
Focus on the Three P’s of Fresh Produce Safety