|
1. |
What are the important food
safety tips that schools should follow
when working with local farmers? |
| |
|
A good first step is for the
school to inquire about Good
Agriculture Practices (GAP)
training, certification or food
safety measures that are currently
in place. Although GAP certification
is the gold standard, not all farms
have undergone a GAP audit. Food
service directors may choose to ask
questions based on GAP principles.
|
|
2. |
How would a school district find
out about State and local health or
sanitation requirements that the
district may need to follow to
purchase directly from farmers? |
| |
|
The local health or State food
regulatory agency would be able to
inform you of what requirements
apply for school districts
purchasing directly from farms.
|
|
3. |
Are there any other rules or
regulations farmers have to meet in
order to sell to schools? |
| |
|
Farmers must meet all local and
State regulations and be in good
standing, in order to sell their
products within the Child Nutrition
Programs. Also, local distributors
may have additional requirements,
e.g., third party audits or product
liability insurance limits. Farmers
and schools should check with their
local health departments to ensure
that local and State requirements
are met.
|
|
4. |
Are there any plans to streamline
the food safety process or provide
tools for smaller farmers? |
| |
|
There are many resources and
tools available to assist farmers
implement food safety practices on
the farm, many of which are
commodity and/or regional specific.
Some State Departments of
Agriculture offer cost-share
incentives for farmers that pass a
third-party good agricultural
practices verification audit. For
the most current and relevant
information, contact your State
Department of Agriculture, or your
local extension office. Both may
provide food safety training,
technical assistance, or access to
additional resources. To find your
local extension office, visit
www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension.
Another resource is the National GAPs Program website at
http://www.gaps.cornell.edu/weblinks.html;
this website offers online good
agricultural practices training,
food safety training materials and
links to other food safety
resources.
Please also review and/or contact
the various resources provided
during the “Food Safety” section of
the October 7, 2010, webinar titled
Digging Through the Farm to School
Resources.
|
| 5. |
Is there a specific amount of
liability coverage that farmers or
others providing products to school
meal programs must carry? |
| |
|
No, there is no specific amount
of liability coverage required of
farmers by USDA to sell to schools.
However, school districts, states,
distributors, retailers and food
service management companies may all
have different liability coverage
requirements. It is best to contact
these entities for further
information.
|
| 6. |
Is Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP) and/or Good Handling Practices
(GHP) going to be a requirement in
all states in the near future? |
| |
|
No, not at this time. GAP/GHP
certifications are only required
when selling fresh fruits and
vegetable directly to the USDA.
However, local distributors,
retailers, or schools may have
individual GAP/GHP related policies.
|
| 7. |
Where can I find resources on the
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
certification requirements? |
| |
|
Many resources on the Good
Agriculture Practices (GAP) and Good
Handling Practices (GHP)
certification process are available
online, including the USDA’s
Agriculture Marking Service website.
The
National GAP
webpage includes additional GAP/GHP
resources. Additionally, numerous
State Departments of Agriculture
have GAP/GHP related resources,
including cost sharing programs.
Contact your State Department of
Agriculture for more information.
|
| 8. |
As GAP certification can be
costly, will there be alternatives for
farmers to be certified for GAP? |
| |
|
Numerous states provide
financial and technical assistance
to farmers for GAP education,
planning and certification using
USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant
Program funds. Additionally, many
local County Extension programs
provide resources to assist with GAP
education, planning and
certification. Contact your State
Department of Agriculture or local
County Extension agent for more
information.
|
| 9. |
Do farms follow Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Points (HACCP)? |
| |
|
HACCP specifically addresses
preventive food safety systems in
manufacturing and processing plants
and retail foodservice
establishments, such as schools.
HACCP requirements would not apply
to farms. Rather, Good Agriculture
Practices (GAP) and Good Handling
Practices (GHPs) principles address
food safety programs that should be
in place on farms.
|
| 10. |
Can you give us some guidelines
for handling produce in school kitchens?
|
| |
|
Food and Nutrition Service’s
publication
Best Practices: Handling
Fresh Produce in Schools,
outlines recommendations for
handling fresh produce at all steps
in the food production process. Best
practices address purchasing and
receiving; washing and preparation;
hand hygiene; serving; storage; and
training and general food safety
practices. Specific recommendations
for handling melons, tomatoes, leafy
greens, and sprouts are also
included.
|
| 11. |
Is there a resource that explains
how to incorporate school garden produce
into the school meal program?
|
| |
|
We are
especially concerned about food
safety and sanitation issues.
It is important to
ensure that safe growing
principles are used to
grow produce from any
source, including
gardens. Before using
any produce from a
school garden, visit the
garden and ask the
master gardener about
growing practices,
including the history of
the land use, water
sources, soil sampling
and results, use of
fertilizers and
pesticides, and animal
control measures.
Currently, USDA has not
published a specific
resource on food safety
related to school
gardens, but many
resources are available
on growing produce
safely in gardens.
Contact your local
extension office for
specific resources. One
such resource is from
the
University of Maryland’s
Extension on
food safety and school
gardens.
|
| 12. |
Can local or State agencies have
stricter policies when it comes to
allowing produce from the school garden
to be used in the Child Nutrition
Programs? |
| |
|
Local and State agencies may
have stricter food safety policies
related to allowing produce from
school gardens to be used in Child
Nutrition Programs. It is best to
contact your local school district
or the State agency that administers
the Child Nutrition Programs for
more information.
|
| 13. |
What is the purpose of USDA fruit
and vegetable inspections? |
| |
|
USDA fresh fruit and vegetable
inspections are used to determine
the grade of a product, and not for
food safety purposes. Grading is
voluntary except when USDA purchases
produce for the Food Distribution
Program. USDA’s Agriculture
Marketing Service has developed
grade standards for 85 fresh fruits,
vegetables, tree nuts, peanuts, and
related commodities. They describe
the quality requirements for each
grade of commodity (e.g. US Extra
Fancy apples, US Fancy apples,
etc.), giving industry a common
language for buying and selling.
USDA grade standards can assist
schools to determine the quality and
value of fresh fruits and
vegetables. |
