National Farmers Market Managers Survey

The 2019 National Farmers Market Manager Survey was undertaken with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). NASS conducted the survey in the spring of 2020 using 2019 as a reference year. The survey estimated that 8,140 farmers markets were in operation in the lower 48 states. The survey shares general information about market organizational characteristics, agricultural business support activities and market development activities.

Quality Management Systems: A Guide for Food and Farm Businesses

Under a cooperative agreement, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the Wallace Center at Winrock International developed Quality Management Systems: A Guide for Food and Farm Businesses. The goal of this project was to create a resource to help food and farm businesses, including food hubs, and USDA GroupGAP and other food safety certification administrators understand the benefits of a quality management system (QMS) and how to implement a QMS.

GIAC Discussion Topic

The GIAC requests a review of the current grading standards/policies as it pertains to customer load orders for items currently being considered as “self-imposed limits”, to allow for grading/certification of these items as a function of the official grade and certificates.

Falling Number Concerns

Background: 
The past several years, there has been several reported situations where origin falling numbers have not been repeated at destination within the tolerance allowed by the FGIS limits.

The likelihood is not all official agencies (and unofficial agencies) do not necessarily run the falling numbers the same way.

I understand the standard for export results for falling numbers is done on a 14% moisture basis, as well as the “two tube” method and average the results.

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