USDA Fresh Products Branch audit programs brings a team of USDA licensed auditing professionals, uniformly developed and applied auditing standards and matrixes, and independent third party verifications of produce suppliers through-out the production chain. USDA licensed auditors have performed thousands of verification audits nationwide to verify best agricultural practices and satisfy purchasing requirements of retailers and the food service industry..
The Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices (GAP&GHP) audit verification program focuses on best agricultural practices to verify that farms are producing, and packers are handling and storing fruits and vegetables in the safest manner possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards. USDAs voluntary audit based program verifies adherence to the recommendations made in the Food and Drug Administrations
Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.The USDAs GAP&GHP Program is broken down into three major sections: Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) which examines farm practices; Good Handling Practices (GHP) which concentrates on packing facilities, storage facilities and wholesale distribution centers; and Food Defense protocols utilized throughout the food chain. USDA also provides oversight for commodity specific audits performed to satisfy the requirements of the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement, the California Tomato Growers Cooperative, the mushroom industry, government purchase and of many large retail organizations. USDA also performs audits utilizing the newly developed GAP Harmonized Standards.
Kenneth S. Petersen
Donna L. Burke-Fonda
