GAP; Food Safety are buzz words being tossed about more in food production - fruits and vegetables. But what does it all mean?
The key take away with GAP is to make the farming operation more successful and open more market opportunities.
Most of the GAP and Food Safety guidelines are industry standards not Governmental Regulations. These guidelines are self-assessments to minimize on-farm risks for the introduction of contaminants into the food system. Other guidelines are excellent record keeping methods to improve on farm efficiency.
If you are a farmer or producer, ask first what your market or end consumer requirements are then check what, if any, local regulations state for selling produce or food products exist.
The following links are resources to help small and mid-scale mixed production farms with "Frequently Asked Questions" on GAPS, On Farm Food Safety, Farm Production Planning, etc.
Flow Chart for FSMA
- The FSMA Flow Chart helps producers navigate the FSMA language. Regardless of if you are exempt or need to comply, it is every producers duty to ensure that food is produced safely for the consumer.
How To Forms and Checklists
Overview of Farm Plan Importance
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Farm Food Safety Decision Tree for Fruit Vegetable Producers
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Good Agricultural Practices: A Self Audit Checklist for Growers
Risk Assessment and Reduction
Apps
NOTE: NMSU does not endorse nor has financial gain from this or any cellphone GAP application. This is a tool that could be a resource for producers.
