This is the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Manual, which is available for public use. The date after the tab name indicates the upload date. As revisions are made the dates will be updated to reflect a revised upload.
This manual covers harvest and preparation for market, curing root/tuber/bulb crops, packing house operations, packing and packaging materials, decay and insect control, temperature and relative humidity control, and more. The introduction to the manual starts: "The three main objectives of applying postharvest technology to harvested fruits and vegetables are: to maintain quality (...
Water is important in crop production because it is used in many activities such as irrigating, washing and cooling. Irrigation water can spread pathogens, microorganisms that cause disease in humans, such as Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7 and Cryptosporidium parvum (also known as "Crypto"). Every time contaminated water comes in direct contact with fruit or vegetables, there is a...
The Produce Safety Rule is one of the new federal food safety regulations written under the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and sprouts covered under this regulation includes only those that are 1) likely to be eaten raw, and 2) grown on farms with average annual produce sales of at least $25,000. Exemptions to the rule, where only certain parts of the...
Community Accreditation for Produce Safety (CAPS) is a program of the Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association (VVBGA). CAPS is a voluntary, practical approach to documenting the use of practices that reduce food safety risks on farms that grow fresh produce. The CAPS advisory board of farmers and service providers has identified 18 practices that are required for accreditation. CAPS uses...
Access the Vermont Produce Program to understand your farm’s requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, learn about Produce Safety Improvement Grants, or schedule an On-Farm Readiness Review.
Handwashing has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of transmission of human pathogens between people. But, sometimes we are inconveniently far from the closest wash room and sink. Hand washing stations provide a portable means of washing hands on farms, at farmers’ markets, and at recreational sites. This guide was motivated by a desire to improve current...
The Brattleboro Winter Farmers Market built these two handwashing stations to allow their customers access to handwashing facilities during the winter market. This is a variation of the handwashing station design available at the UVM Extension Agricultural Engineering page (http://go.uvm.edu/handwashingstation). The unique feature of this build is the use of insulated clean water supply...
We built and installed two hands-free hand wash "shelves" to mount on our harvest wagons (or any harvest vehicle).
Having water when and where you need it can make a big difference in vegetable wash station efficiency. This blog post captures some of the option for managing hoses in wash/pack buildings.
Produce wash sinks and tanks on vegetable farms consist of several different styles, designs, sizes, and uses. The needs vary from farm to farm but some features to consider are highlighted here.
There are many options when it comes to constructing a walk-in cooler, cold room, or warm room for on-farm storage. The main goals for construction of any temperature and humidity controlled space are: Insulate the walls to provide for efficiency temperature control against a different outside temperature (which may be an warmer inside space)
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Taylor Hutchison and Jake Mendel own and operate Footprint Farm in Starksboro, VT. Starting their own farm in 2013, they now produce pretty much everything except storage potatoes and storage squash with 66 different kinds of vegetables grown in both fields and high-tunnels. Print and video case study formats available.
Disinfection is part of an overall sanitation and safety management program. Chlorination of process water is one of the primary elements of a properly managed postharvest sanitation program. In conjunction with an overall safety management program, chlorination is generally effective, comparatively inexpensive, and may be implemented in operations of any size.
We designed and built a 6 by 8 ft coolbot on a tight budget, and created a photo log of the build process. Our strategy was to fabricating an R-25 insulated box, out of 5 portable panels (minimalist…four walls and a ceiling) designed for easy disassembly/ relocation.
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is transforming the nation’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it. This website summarizes the rules.
This is an overview of the USDA GAPs requirements.
The UVM Agricultural Risk Management and Crop Insurance Education Program is a partnership between the University of Vermont and the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA). The goal of this program is to provide Vermont agricultural producers information about crop insurance resources and programs as a means to reduce production risk, revenue risk and to...
Fact Sheet and summary of UVM Extension field-based research on E.coli in multiple dunk tanks in succession.
This fact sheet provides contact information for laboratories in Vermont and neighboring states that offer agricultural water testing services. These services can be used to comply with regulatory or audit programs that require growers to test their agricultural water for the presence of potentially harmful bacteria.
Silas Doyle-Burr is managing Last Resort Farm in Monkton, VT, taking over the operations from his parents on the farm he grew up at. The farm was purchased in 1987, and transitioned from dairy farming to vegetable production in 1993, and now grow 26 different crops split just about evenly retail vs. wholesale. The following link is a playlist of videos taken with Silas showcasing some of the...
We wash raw-eaten greens like cut Lettuce or Spinach, in a 2 rinse system. Only the second rinse has sanitizer in it. We spin them dry and pack them, 4 lbs to a case, in boxes with plastic bags liners.
Heron Pond Farm SoP for Double Washing Greens
Practical Produce Safety (PPS) is a cost-effective strategy for growers to implement food safety practices that minimize risk while maximizing produce quality and farm profitability. UVM Extension’s Practical Produce Safety Curriculum and these materials were designed specifically for small produce farms that primarily direct market their produce through CSA’s, farm stands, farmers markets, or...
Cleaning and sanitizing are part of an overall food safety plan to provide the safest and best quality fresh fruits, vegetables, greens, and herbs to customers. Checklists, standard procedures, and schedules are typically the best ways to communicate information to employees and document that proper cleaning and sanitizing practices are followed. This fact sheet includes suggested checklists,...
This collection of articles covers information and resources needed to meet Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) standards specific for the mushroom industry.
