I hear, and I forget;
I see, and I remember;
I do, and I understand
--Old Chinese Proverb
The worksheets provided and writing tasks recommended as part of these trainings are designed to be effective learning aids to integrate the information into your farm systems.
1. Please Prepare a Farm Map in Advance of the 1st Class
Create a basic map of your farm. It can be a pen line drawing, copy of a survey, or a google image. Fields and buildings should be clearly indicated. Bring 3 copies.
- Download full instructions: Farm Maps--Field History And Assessment
2. Print These Templates To Use In the 1st Class
3. Materials to Gather Before The First Class
- 3 ring binder (for your food safety plan)
- 3 ring hole punch
- 3 ring binder separator tabs
4- FSMA Produce Rule Status
Knowing your farm's FSMA Produce Rule Status may be helpful to you in your decision making process. If you don't know your status, you can use this helpful flowchart: Interactive FSMA Produce Rule Flowchart || Carolina Farm Stewardship
- exempt, or
- qualified exempt, or
- required to be in full compliance
Training Schedule
Attend the training from the largest screen you have. A phone size screen would be challenging to see images and critical documents.
If you have access to two computers - you might want to attend the zoom from one and have the 2nd one open to download and write on online documents during class.
-
- Monday, February 6 6-8 pm EST
- Monday, February 13 6-8 pm EST
- Monday, February 20 6-8 pm EST
- Monday, February 27 6-8 pm EST
- Monday, March 6, 6-8 pm EST
- Monday, March 13 6-8 pm EST
The templates in this collection are samples that you can adapt to meet the specifics of your operation. Templates are not provided for every Harmonized GAP criteria.
Print These Worksheets To Use In the 1st Session
Powerpoints
Suggested Work for This Week
3. Start creating your “food safety plan.” A 3 ring binder with tabs is a great way to organize so that you and others can find the information when you need it. Put your maps, risk assessment sheets, SOPs or recordkeeping logs in a Land Use tab and you will be well on your way to having a written food safety plan.
4. Print next week's worksheets for use in class.
5. Explore the below resources. Print and use any templates you want to add to your Food Safety Plan.
Land Use Templates & Sample SOPs
- F-1. Sample Land Use Plan With SOPs
- F-1.1 Land Use Action Plan –Co-Management Guide
- F-1.3 Land Use-Log-Septic
Co-Management
- Wild Farm Alliance: Co-Managing Farm Stewardship with Food Safety GAPs and Conservation Practices
- Wild Farm Alliance: A Farmers Guide To Food Safety And Consecration
The templates in this collection are samples that you can adapt to meet the specifics of your operation. Templates are not provided for every Harmonized GAP criteria.
Print These Worksheets For Use In Class
Powerpoints
Suggested Work for This Week
- Decide your food safety goal. Do you want a written food safety plan? To be in compliance with FSMA? To be Auditable? To pass a food safety audit?
- Decide who will be the Food Safety Manager for your farm. Have them fill out General Information.
- Write or edit a template of your Personal Qualifications & Training Worker SOP as relevant.
- Write or edit a template of a health and hygiene plan with SOPS. You can edit Health and Hygiene Plan With SOPs to be true to your farm, use other templates from the Food Safety Resources tab, or make up your own.
Worker Training and Fact Sheets
- Illness Training Tool || National Restaurant Association
- Illness Decision Guide || MN Department of Health
- Food Worker Illness Flow Chart
G-4 Worker Qualifications and Training
G-10 Human Health and Hygiene
- Health and Hygiene Plan With SOPs
- Visitor Policy
- Visitor Log
- Restroom Cleaning and Restocking Schedule and Log
- Worker First_Aid Log
- Worker Illness Log
Worker Food Health and Hygiene Training Video
Worker Food Safety Training
The templates in this collection are samples that you can adapt to meet the specifics of your operation. Templates are not provided for every Harmonized GAP criteria.
Print These Templates/Worksheets For Use In Class
- Master Recordkeeping Plan Template || PDF
- Cleaning and Sanitizing SOP
- Equipment List:Schedule Log
- Equipment List:Schedule Log #2
Suggested Work for This Week
- Decide who will be the Recordkeeping Manager for your farm. Have them fill out the Master Recordkeeping Plan Template. Work as a team to create the recordkeeping systems you decide you need.
- Edit Cleaning and Sanitizing SOP or write your own.
- Create an Equipment List and/or Equipment List:Schedule Log #2 with cleaning and maintenance schedule.
- Create logs as needed and print them for use. Feel free to use and edit the templates below.
- Purchase Sanitation Supplies
- Print next week's worksheet
Powerpoints
Sanitation Logs and SOPs
- Waste Management Plan with SOPs
- OSHA Regulation for Field Sanitation
- Cleaning and Sanitizing SOP
- Contact Surface Cleaning and Sanitizing Log
- Equipment List:Schedule Log
- Equipment List:Schedule Log #2
- Postharvest Sanitation: Food Contact Surface Sanitation Log
- Postharvest Sanitation: Tools Cleaning/Sanitizing Log
- Establishing Lot Size through Sanitation Clean Breaks in Produce Packing Facilities
Sanitation Informational Fact Sheets
Farm Management Software Programs
- Record-Keeping-Software-Review 1. GAPS-Audits-FSP1. GAPS-Audits-FSP|| Carolina Farm Stewardship Alliance
- Article on Small Farm Software Tools With Descriptions || Young Agrarians
- AgSquared
- CogPro
General Food Safety Templates
G-6, G-7 Traceability - Recall Plan Templates
- 1. Traceback and Recall Plan
- 2. Traceability SOP
- Form 1. Mock Recall Log
- Form 2. Recall Information Log
- Form 3. Product Information Log
- Form 4. List Of Resources And Entities Involved In Your Supply Chain
- Form 5. Recall Notification
- Form 6. Product Retrieval
- Form 7. Disposal Record
- Form 8. Deviations and Corrective Action Log
Free Production and Sales Record Keeping Templates
The templates in this collection are samples that you can adapt to meet the specifics of your operation. Templates are not provided for every Harmonized GAP criteria.
Print These Worksheets For Use In Class
- F-6 Sample Animal Management Plan
- F-6.1 Seasonal Animal Control Risk Assessment SOP
- F-6.2 Pre-Harvest Risk Assessment SOP
- Harvest Policies
- F-7.1 Biological-Soil-Amendment-Risk-Assessment
Powerpoint
Suggested Work Toward Writing Your Food Safety Plan for This Week
- Perform F-6.1 Seasonal Animal Control Risk Assessment SOP
- Perform F-6.2 Pre-Harvest Risk Assessment SOP
- Edit Harvest Policies
- Perform F-7.1 Biological-Soil-Amendment-Risk-Assessment
- Create your Animal, Harvest, & BSA Plan:
- Policies & Practices
- SOPs
- Record Keeping Templates
- Print next week's worksheets.
Harvest
- Harvest Policies
- F-6.2 Pre-Harvest Field Risk Assessment Log
- F-9.1 Pre-Harvest General Risk Assessment Log
Animals
Animal Control SOPs
- F-6.1 Seasonal Animal Control Risk Assessment SOP
- F-6.2 Monitoring Animal Activity During the Production Season
- F-6.2 Pre-Harvest Risk Assessment SOP
- F-6.3 Managing Animal Intrusion and Contamination
- F-6.3 Worker Training- Animal Control
Animal Control Logs
- F-6.1 Seasonal Animal Control Risk Assessment LOG
- F-6.2 Animal Monitoring Log
- F-6.2 Pre-Harvest Assessment Log
Soil Amendments
- F-7 Sample-Soil-Amendment Plan
- F-7.1 Biological-Soil-Amendment-Risk-Assessment
- F-7.2 Soil Amendments-Log-Soil
- F-7.2 Compost Treatment Record
- 3rd Party Soil Amendment Suppliers Certificate of Conformance
- National Organic Program, Subpart C—Organic Production and Handling Requirements, 7 CFR 205 (2015), § 205.203(c)(1)(ii and iii).
Agricultural Chemicals
The templates in this collection are samples that you can adapt to meet the specifics of your operation. Templates are not provided for every Harmonized GAP criteria.
Print These Worksheets For Use In Class
Powerpoint
Suggested Work Toward Writing Your Food Safety Plan for This Week
- Describe your water system. Water Descriptions & Risk Assessment Plan is a template you can utilize if you wish.
- Do a risk assessment of your production water system. Template option Water-System-Risk-Assessment
- Do a risk assessment of your post harvest water use. Template option Produce Washing Assessment
- Write a water management plan as needed. Template option: Sample Water Management Plan
- Write SOPs as needed. Some SOPs you might want to include:
- Postharvest Water-SOP
- Water Sampling-SOP
- Monitoring and adding antimicrobial products such as a sanitizer
- Monitoring and modifying pH
- Monitoring water and produce temperatures
- Monitoring turbidity and changing/adding water
- Calibrating thermometers and sensors
- Create your Water Record Keeping System
Post Harvest Water and Washing Produce
- F-10 Water:Ice in Harvesting:Post-Harvest
- Produce Washing Assessment
- Postharvest Water-SOP
- Product-Washing_Hydro-Cooling_Recirculating-Water-Treatment-and-Monitoring-Log
F-3, F-4 Water Description and Risk Assessment
- Water Descriptions & Risk Assessment Plan
- Creating a Water System Diagram
- Water-System-Risk-Assessment
- How to Shock-Treat a Well
F-5 Water Management Plan
- Sample Water Management Plan
- Water Sampling-SOP
- Production Water-Log-Test
- Agricultural Water Inspection Log
- Agricultural Water Die-off
- Water Treatment Monitoring
- FSMA Produce Rule Agricultural Water Microbial Quality Criteria
- CFSA_2019-WATER
Water: Industry Guidance For Water. Prepared by IFPA Food Safety Council Agricultural Water Working Group
Produce Safety Alliance Water Resources
- The Water Analysis Method Requirement in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule
- FSMA Produce Safety Rule Water Requirements: Insights to Get You Organized!
- MWQP Agricultural Water Calculators (online tools)
- Labeled-Sanitizers-for-Produce Spreadsheet || Produce Alliance
Water Quality: Calculate Geometric Mean and Statistical Threshold Value
These tools were developed to make it easier to calculate the GM and STV and to determine if your water meets the water quality criteria for appropriate application to produce.
Untreated Surface Water:
- Download the Excel Tool (Western Center for Food Safety, Version 6.0, October 2nd, 2017) (Will download as Excel Spreadsheet, 309 KB)
- Get the Ag Water App (University of Arizona Coop. Ext.)
- Access the Online Calculator (University of Arizona Coop. Ext.
Untreated Ground Water:
- Download the Excel Tool (Western Center for Food Safety, Version 5.0, October 2nd, 2017) (Will download as Excel Spreadsheet, 309 KB)
The templates in this collection are samples that you can adapt to meet the specifics of your operation. Templates are not provided for every Harmonized GAP criteria.
Worksheets For Use In Class / Print or Use Digitally In Class
Powerpoint & Handout
Suggested Work Toward Writing Your Food Safety Plan for This Week
- Perform the Postharvest Assessment:Repair Log
- Identify changes you will make.
- Create your Post harvest & Facilities Food Safety Plan:
- Policies & Practices
- SOPs
- Record Keeping Templates
- IMPLEMENT all your great ideas!
PEST CONTROL
Post Harvest Handling and Facilities: Logs and SOPs
- Daily Food Safety Pre-Operational Checklist
- Postharvest Assessment:Repair Log
- Packing and Facility Inspection Log
- Pre-Operation Inspection Sample SOP
- Cooler Temperature Log
- Pest Control Log
- Pest Monitoring - SOP
- Weekly Rodent Trap Report
Post Harvest Vehicles and Equipment: Logs and SOPs
- F-8- Vehicles, Equipment, Tools and Utensils
- Cleaning Produce Transport Vehicles-SOP
- Transportation Vehicle Inspection and Corrective Action Log
- Transportation-Log-Truck
- Thermometer Calibration Log
- Thermometer Calibration SOP
POST HARVEST PRODUCTION RESOURCES
Temperature and Humidity Needs
- Produce Storage Information
- Produce Respiration Rates
- Produce Cooling Chart
- Produce Packing guidelines
Production Manuals
- The Organic Grower Harvest Manual 2022 SARE
- Northeast Organic Grower Crop Manual 2022 SARE
- Production Guide For Storage Of Organic Fruits and Vegetables | Cornell University
Grading and Standards
- Quality / Standards and Regulations | Purdue University
- Illustrated Guides to Grading Vegetables | Purdue University
Tool Design
- Cleaning Tools and Supplies for Produce Farms || UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture
- Pack and Cool: Portable Cooling | NC Extension Service
- How to Build a Handwashing Station For Under $20 || Michele Schermann, U of MN
- Knee controlled sink
- Greens Spinners Options University of Vermont Video
- AZS Conveyer Washer University of Vermont Video
Packaging Suppliers
- Globe Bag Co
- Innovative Packaging Solutions
- ProducePackaging
- Produce Packing Inc
- Rockford Package
- Uline
- PeakFresh: Ethylene and Humidity Management - Polyethylene Liners
Wholesale Success: A Farmer’s Guide to Selling, Post Harvest Handling, and Packing Produce |FamilyFarmed.org
Some sections of Wholesale Success are available online at MISA.
- Cover, Introduction, Table of Contents (PDF, 1.3 Mb)
- Section 1: Selling Into Wholesale Markets
- Section 2: Preharvest Preparation
- Section 3: Harvesting
- Section 4: Cooling and Curing (PDF, 2.4 Mb)
- Section 5: Cleaning and Drying (PDF, 2.4 Mb)
- Section 6: Sorting and Packing (PDF, 2.8 Mb)
- Section 7: Storage and Transportation
- Section 8: Packing Shed Design
- Section 9: Postharvest Sanitation (PDF, 172 kb)
- Section 10: Food Safety
- Section 11: Crop Profiles
Worker Food Safety Training
Funding Sources
- Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program - A one-time funding opportunity available to farmers and food processors for infrastructure and equipment purchases. AIIP is not expected to open for proposals again.
- Farm Storage Loan Program || USDA
- USDA Funding Opportunities
- Lakewinds Organic Field Fund: Midwest The goal of LOFF is to provide funding to farmers working on the development and sustainability of organics
- Next Stage Grant Program-Mill City Farmers Market: Midwest Next Stage Grant provides funding to local, regenerative farmers and other food producers who are improving sustainable farming and business practices or growing toward the “next stage” of their local food businesses.
- FSA Microloan Program: National The focus of Microloans is on the financing needs of small, beginning farmer, niche and non-traditional farm operations, such as truck farms, farms participating in direct marketing and sales such as farmers’ markets, CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture), restaurants and grocery stores, or those using hydroponic, aquaponic, organic and vertical growing methods.
- Minnesota Produce Safety Mini-Grant The Produce Safety Mini-Grant helps reimburse Minnesota produce farmers for expenses that improve on-farm food safety systems including water testing for generic E. coli and/or other on-farm food safety improvements.
- MN: AGRI Value-Added Grant Program The AGRI Value-Added Grant helps Minnesota processors add value to Minnesota agricultural products by investing in the purchase of equipment, production capacity, market diversification, and market access for value-added products. 25% cost share
- Beginning Farmer and Rancher Loan || USDA
- Agricultural Marketing Loan Fund - AMLF finances projects that build and enhance the viability of agricultural and aquaculture enterprises throughout Maine at reasonable rates and terms. AMLF is currently open for applications.
- Dairy Improvement Fund - DIF provides financing to help Maine dairy businesses undertake projects to enhance the viability and vitality of the farm, and improve the manufacturing, marketability, and production of their products at a 1% fixed interest rate.
- Maine Farms for the Future - FFF is a competitive grant program that supports Maine farmers in developing and implementing ideas to improve farm profitability.
FSMA Produce Rule Status
- Interactive FSMA Produce Rule Flowchart || Carolina Farm Stewardship
- FSMA Produce Rule Status Template
- Qualified Exemption Template
- FSMA Produce Rule: Coverage and exemptions for farms with multiple business entities
FSMA Produce Rule Information
- Complete FSMA Produce Rule
- FDA - Produce Rule Draft Guidance
- Glossary
- FSMA Produce Rule Record Keeping Requirements
- TAN Technical Assistance Network
Produce Safety Alliance
- General Resources
- FSMA Produce Rule Training manual references and links
- Records Required by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule
Food Safety & Legal Issues
- FSMA Produce Rule: Produce Farms, foodborne illness, and legal liability
- FSMA Produce Rule: Inspections and 3rd-party audits
- Food Safety and Legal Matters || Farm Commons
Exempt and Qualified Exception Status
- FSMA Inflation Adjusted Cut Offs (Note: Updated annually in March.)
Qualified Exemption: A farm is eligible for a qualified exemption if the average annual monetary value of all food sold during the 3-year period preceding the applicable calendar year was less than $500,000, adjusted for inflation, and sales to qualified end-users during such period exceeded the average annual monetary value of the food sold by such farm to all other buyers.
Baseline Value for Cut-offs (2011) | Value in 2012 | Value in 2013 | Value in 2014 | Value in 2015 | Value in 2016 | Value in 2017 | Value in 2018 | Value in 2019 | Value in 2020 | Value in 2021 | Average 3 Year Value for 2019 - 2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$500,000 | $509,590 | $518,529 | $528,277 | $533,822 | $539,672 | $549,863 | $562,119 | $572,499 | $579,022 | $603,202 | $584,908 |
Not covered farm: A farm or farm mixed-type facility with an average annual monetary value of produce sold during the previous 3-year period of less than $25,000 (on a rolling basis).
Baseline Value for Cut-offs (2011) | Value in 2012 | Value in 2013 | Value in 2014 | Value in 2015 | Value in 2016 | Value in 2017 | Value in 2018 | Value in 2019 | Value in 2020 | Value in 2021 | Average 3 Year Value for 2019 - 2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$25,000 | $25,480 | $25,926 | $26,414 | $26,691 | $26,984 | $27,493 | $28,106 | $28,625 | $28,951 | $30,160 | $29,245 |
Harmonized Gap
- Harmonized GAP Standards
- Harmonized GAP Checklist
- Tips and Strategies to Reduce Risk and Pass an Audit || Carolina Farm Stewardship
Additional Resources and Templates for Writing a Food Safety Plan
- Fundamentals of On-Farm Food Safety || Carolina Farm Stewardship
- Bridging the GAPS || WA State
- Good Agricultural Practices U of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Food Safety Plan Template || Cornell
- SOPs and Logs Templates || Cornell
- A Farmers Guide to Food Safety And Conservation || Wild Farm
- Co-Managing Farm Stewardship with Food Safety GAPs and Conservation Practices || Wild Farm
Worker Training Materials
- GAPs Worker Training Videos || North Carolina (8 topics in English and Spanish)
- Worker Posters and Educational Materials || Cornell
Food Safety: Leafy Greens
Commodity Specific / Industry
FOOD SAFETY TRAINING MATERIALS
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