STANDARDS FOR GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES PROGRAM

 I. General Information 

The basis of the Good Agricultural Practices Program is to provide a safe food product for consumers.  The focus is to reduce the risk of microbial and pesticide contamination.  Additional benefits of the program are worker safety and protection of the environment.  Current technologies cannot eliminate all potential food safety hazards associated with fresh produce that will be eaten raw. * 

When the applicant has successfully completed the inspection/audit process, the GCIA director will issue a GAP “CERTIFICATE”.  The certificate may be copied by the GAP program producer and presented as proof of approval.  

Upon receipt of the GAP “CERTIFICATE” a producer may use the GAP seal on shipping containers, invoices, letterhead, promotional items and advertising. 

The GAP seal will only be used on products grown under the GAP Program rules. For the GAP seal to be used on produce both the production farm and packing facility must be approved. 

The inspection of a GAP program producer is the verification of a process.  The GAP approved producer is responsible for complying with the standards and is responsible for product quality and safety.  

The Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables was used as the basis for these standards. 

II. Audits/Inspections 

At least one audit/inspection should be made during the growing and packing season. 

The application and audit/inspection report is one form, divided into seven (formerly eight) sections.  Each section covers a specific area.  Not all sections are applicable to the audited/inspected site.  

All areas not in compliance with the GAP program must be corrected.  The Executive Director of the GCIA may allow a reasonable time for corrections.  Normally these will be items requiring design and construction.  A re-inspection is required of these items.  

Non-compliance items that are immediate health or safety issues will be corrected prior to the completion of the audit/inspection or the application will be rejected. 

All questions with a D in the last column require that the auditor/inspector visually see a document relating to the question.  There are two documents acceptable for compliance.   

·        An official document will likely originate from a laboratory, vendor, professional, etc., (i.e. water test, pesticide license).

·        A written plan of action made available to all staff and employees (i.e. plan for spill containment of pesticides, cleaning of packing equipment).  

All GAP documentation must be maintained for 24 months.

SECTION I - GENERAL
 

This section covers items applicable to all sites involved in GAP production.  The General Section must be completed for all applications. 

·         General

·         Control of chemical hazards 

STANDARD:  The producer must be knowledgeable of production sites to prevent unwanted product contamination.   

The environment must be protected by providing protection to soil and water from fuel and fertilizer tank spills or leaks.   

The producer must have knowledge of pesticides; safety, application, records, etc.  Only trained and licensed personnel may apply restricted-use pesticides.   

SECTION II - CROP PRODUCTION 

This Section covers the production of GAP Program products.

·         Environmental concerns

·         Animal manure contamination

·         Pesticide drift

·         Source and testing of water for irrigation and crop protection

·         Manure and municipal biosolids                            

STANDARD:  Product must be produced in an environment that is safe from non-approved pesticides.  The use of buffer strips, crop alternatives (winter crops vs. spring or summer), the use of barriers, covering crops, etc., are permitted. 

Product must be protected from manure; animals, runoff from lagoons and composting operations, pastures, feed lots, etc.   

Water used for irrigation and crop protection must be tested for human pathogens and parasites.  See the reference section of the GAP Handbook for water standards - water testing and quality requirements. 

Wells must be designed and constructed to comply with local and state regulations. 

Non-composted manure may be used if incorporated into the soil within three weeks of planting and 120 days before harvest.

All composted material must comply with NRCS standard 317.

All manure or compost purchased for use must have a specification sheet from the vendor indicating that NRCS rule 317 was complied with.

Records of manure applications must be available for auditing. 

SECTION III - FIELD HARVESTING, PACKING AND TRANSPORTATION 

This section is for those sites that harvest and pack in the production field.

·         Sanitation facilities for workers

·         Worker hygiene

·         Sanitation of harvesting equipment 

STANDARD:  The producer must provide an environment that reduces possible microbial contamination of product by field workers; sanitation of gloves, knifes, baskets, use of chlorinated water for rinsing of product, etc.   

There must be an adequate number of field sanitation units.  These units must be conveniently located and properly equipped and serviced.  

Field workers must be properly trained in the use of field sanitation units. 

Supervisors must monitor hand washing of field workers. 

Supervisors must be familiar with signs and symptoms of infectious diseases. 

SECTION IV - PACKING FACILITY 

This section covers those items involved in the packing of produce.

·        Source and testing of water used

·        Sewage treatment

·        General sanitation of facility

·        Receiving at packing facility

·        Washing/packing line sanitation and safety

·        Hygiene

·         Sanitation

·         Recognition of infectious disease symptoms 

STANDARD:  The product packing facility must be operated in a manner that reduces microbial risk, and maintains or enhances quality.  Producer must provide a safe working environment and train workers in procedures that minimize microbial contamination.  

Water used in the packing of product must be tested for pathogens and parasites.  See the reference section of the GAP Handbook for water standards - water testing and quality requirements. 

Wells must be designed and constructed to comply with local and state regulations. 

Possible contamination of the site by adjacent sewage treatment facilities must be prevented.                                           

On site sewage treatment systems must be designed and constructed in compliance with local and state laws. 

There must be an “individual” responsible for plant sanitation issues. 

Only food grade lubricants are to be used in the packing facility. 

Good sanitation practices, both inside and outside of facility, must be followed. 

Producers must train workers in good personal hygiene principles. 

Supervisors must be familiar with signs and symptoms of infectious diseases. 

There must be an adequate number of restrooms.  Restrooms must be conveniently located and properly equipped and maintained.  

Water chlorination levels must be monitored to ensure 100-200 parts per million and a pH of        6.5 to 7.5 unless permission is granted to use lower rates. 

There must be a pest control program. 

SECTION V  – WORKER HEALTH AND PERSONAL HYGIENE 

Section V has been removed from the updated manual effective August 2003. Information was transferred and renumbered to Section 4 – Packing Facility. Worker Health & Personal Hygiene procedures and documentation are now found in Sections on packing facilities and field packed product. Removing this section and not renumbering later occurring documents was identified as the simplest way to make this change. 

SECTION VI - STORAGE 

This section covers the storage of produce.

·        Safety and testing of water used in chillers and for ice

·        Packing container sanitation

·        Cleaning of pallets

·        Cleaning of coolers

·        Temperature monitoring 

STANDARD: Packers must ensure that storage of product maintains quality and reduces microbial contamination. 

Ice must be produced with tested potable water. 

Packing containers must be protected from contamination by rodents, birds, etc. 

Storage sites must be maintained to reduce microbial activity. 

Proper storage temperatures must be monitored. 

SECTION VII - TRANSPORTATION 

This section covers the movement of GAP produce from the packing site to the first buyer.  This section will also be used for field pack produce.

·        Personal hygiene and sanitation

·        Truck cleanliness

·        Rodent, insect, temperature control

·        Truck loading process 

STANDARD:  Packers must follow ensure that product is handled to reduce microbial contamination and maintain product quality. 

Good hygiene practices must be followed. 

Trucks must be checked for cleanliness, odors, debris, and correct
temperature.                                                                        

SECTION VIII  - TRACEABILITY 

This section covers the system designed to track a product from the producer/packer to the first buyer.

·        Finished product

·        Specific grower and field

·        Packing date

·        Harvest date 

STANDARD:  Producers must have a system for tracing product form the field to the first buyer. 

The tracking system must identify:

·         The specific grower

·         The specific field or farm of production

·         The date of packing

·         The date of harvest 

*Guide to Minimize Microbial Food and Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, October 1998, page 7, #2