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With the increasing focus on good agricultural practices to verify that farms are producing fruits and vegetables in the safest manner possible, third party audits are being utilized by the retail and food service industry to verify their suppliers are in conformance to specific agricultural best practices. Since 1999, the Agricultural Marketing Service has been actively involved with the produce industry offering auditing services throughout the food chain to verify that best practices are being followed.
AMS, in partnership with state departments of agriculture, offers a voluntary, audit based program that verifies adherence to the recommendations made in the Food and Drug Administration’s Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
The Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices Audit Verification Program is broken down into three major sections: Good Agricultural Practices which examines farm practices; Good Handling Practices which concentrates on packing facilities, storage facilities and wholesale distribution centers; and Food Defense protocols utilized throughout the food chain. In addition to this program, AMS provides oversight for the Leafy Green Marketing Agreements in effect in California and Arizona, along with the California Tomato Growers Cooperative, each with specific best practices criteria that their members can be audited against.
The USDA AMS Fresh Products Branch in collaboration with the American Mushroom Institute and Penn State University has developed a commodity specific audit utilizing the mushroom industry's best practices document titled “Industry-wide Food Safety Standards for Fresh Mushroom Growing, Harvesting, and Shipping.” This audit checklist will be used by USDA auditors to measure mushroom producers efforts conforming to the good agricultural practices recommended in the best practices document.
Kenneth S. Petersen
Audit Programs Coordinator
Fresh Products Branch
USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Room 1661, Stop 0240
Washington, D.C. 20250-0240
Phone: (202) 720-4560
FAX: (202) 720-8871
AFVISA GAP Committee Chairperson:
Steve Thomas
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Program Supervisor
CA Fed-State Inspection Service
165 East Tulare
Dinuba, CA 93618
Phone: 559-595-8000
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