Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
This article introduces the reader to how farmers contribute to food safety. Ever since the President signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) into law in 2011, various government and private organizations have been working to implement it. This new law is trying to shift focus of federal regulators from responding to contamination to preventing it.
Food safety is critical for the consumer and the farmer. In the simplest sense a GAP is a checklist farmers use to maximize food safety. First you have to evaluate your farm and its practices to identify current and potential risks. A GAP check list helps growers identify practical ways to reduce the risk of contaminating produce being grown, harvested, and packed on the farm. Identifying and minimizing those risks is as important as planting, growing, and harvesting. Without using a GAP checklist, a farmer is simply guessing on food safety. Of course, all farming involves risks. Food safety risks may be reduced on the farm by following good agricultural practices. The very last thing I want as a grower is for any food I grow to be contaminated. Therefore, I actively implement GAPs and a full Food Safety Program tailored to my orchard. I think organic farming makes following GAP simple. I use a GAP checklist in which I incorporated GAPs from the USDA, Almond Board of California, and the Community Alliance of Family Farmers (CAFF). My GAPs focus on these key areas:
1. Water
2. Soil Amendments—Manure/Compost
3. Pest and Disease Management
4. Harvest Equipment and Transportation and Storage
5. Employee Health & Hygiene
6. Documentation and Traceability
(1) We test our water for 20 certain compounds and elements at least once a year. With the information the tests results provide, we can determine such things as the amount of nitrogen in our water source, our pH situation, whether or not we need to address a nutrient deficiency or exceedance, and whether or not e-coli or coliforms are in the water. Our well is 300 ft. deep and capped with a concrete sanitary seal. It is approved for agricultural and domestic use. My family drinks the exact same water as the trees; therefore, water safety is extremely important to us.
(2) As part of our overall soil amendments (fertilization) program, we use manure (from grazing sheep), but we follow strict practices on density application, and we ensure no manure is applied within 90 days of harvest in accordance with the National Organic Program (NOP) requirements. We are careful to apply too much “available” Nitrogen, since too much can create runoff problems and potentially ground water problems. Our organic nitrogen plan demonstrates how we manage this critical concern. Finally, we annually apply compost to the orchard floor. The compost is properly manufactured to ensure proper heating techniques are completed (to kill pathogens).
(3) 75% of our orchard is surrounded by hedgerows and windbreaks. Hedgerows are beneficial plants, grasses, and trees which help filter air-borne and water runoff pathogens entering from neighboring lands. In addition, these native plants provide excellent homes for beneficial insects that eat the insects damaging to our orchard. My food safety plan maps out potential contamination points and shows how I control them. We use cover-crops (beneficial, annual crops grown under our trees) and compost to increase organic matter in the soil and to encourage diverse microbial soil populations which combat pathogens, such as fungal diseases. We control rodents that carry pathogens by encouraging the habitation of predatory animals including hawks and owls. We do so by providing these birds with roosts and owl boxes.
(4) Past cases of salmonella poisoning in almonds were caused by the conventional method of harvest which shakes the nuts (which are in a shell and hull) onto the ground. Several days later, the nuts and various pathogens on the orchard floor are then swept up with two very dusty machines. We have chosen a costly, but very safe, alternative to this method of harvesting, which is to harvest directly onto tarps. In this way, hardly any nuts touch the ground. All transportation equipment is verified and documented to be clean and safe. All storage containers are cleaned and are USDA-approved for food. Storage facilities are kept at a proper temperature and are monitored for rodents and insects.
(5) The sorting and packing of our almonds takes place on-site. All employees/family are required to follow strict hygiene rules during these processes. I myself have completed a certified food handler’s course. Simple steps such as washing your hands and not working when you have a cold contribute greatly to food safety.
(6) Finally, we document every input and activity that occurs in the orchard per the National Organic Program. This is definitely not an enjoyable part of the job; but it is very important and it proves you’re doing the right thing. We have the names and contacts for virtually every customer. If any problem were to ever happen, we have a superior ability to trace where the problem came from and who may be affected.
Through our GAPs, we reduce our risks and provide safe products for our customers. Following GAPs is the proper, responsible thing to do.
Brian
The Farmer
Almonds may not be cheap, but they are cheaper than the doctor or hospital. Eat well, live well, and support your organic famer.
You can buy unpasteurized raw almonds and almond butter directly from the California farmer at Capay Hills Orchard. Order off the website, www.chorganicalmonds.com or by calling or texting 530-507-8222. Talk or text directly with the farmer, Brian Paddock Alternatively email capayhillsorchard@gmail.com Please share this post with your friends.
Capay Hills Orchard is a small family farm growing the best raw almonds, raw almond butter and smoked almonds. Capay Hills Orchard is Veteran owned, Bee Friendly certified, and of-course Certified Organic using Regenerative farming practices
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