1. Food safety for small and developing farms:
What is missing and how can we improve?
Kristen E. Gibson, PhD
University of Arkansas
Department of Food Science
Center for Food Safety
Arkansas Association of Food Protection Annual Meeting
September 13, 2011
2. Why is this important?
• Local (“slow”) food movement
• Increase in farmers’ markets
• More small farms
• Increase in produce consumption
• Foodborne disease outbreaks (FBDO)
frequently linked to fresh produce
3. Local Foods
• What is the definition of local food?
– Geographical location
• 100 miles, 400 miles, within the same state
– Type of production
• Sustainable
– Length of supply chain
– Personality and ethics of the grower
– Production size
Definition used may vary by consumer, supplier, buyer,
and related regulatory agencies and organizations.
6. Farmers’ Markets
• USDA reported 16%
growth from 2009 to
2010
• 3.5 fold increase
since 1994
As of August 2011, more than 1,000 new farmers’ markets
reported across the U.S. revealing a 17% growth.
7. Small Farms
• Definition varies by amount in sales per year
– < $1,000,000 (large retailer)
– < $500,000 (Food Safety Modernization Act)
– < $250,000 (National Commission on Small Farms)
– < $50,000 (ERS/USDA)
• Comprised 88% of U.S. Farms in 2007
– 5.7% of small farms grow high value crops
(vegetables, fruit, and tree nuts)
Source: Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms: Family Farm Report, 2010 Edition, EIB-66
8. Fresh Produce
• Steady increase in consumption over past 20
years
– 120 lb2 to 140 lb2 per capita
• Three-fold increase in leafy vegetable
consumption
• 1 in 6 U.S. consumers make it a priority to buy
local
– Fruits and vegetables at top of list
– Produce sales account for over half of direct
sales to consumers at farmers’ markets.
9.
10. FBDO and Fresh Produce in the U.S.
(1990-2006)
RANK COMMODITY PATHOGEN OUTBREAKS ILLNESSES % OF PRODUCE
(by risk) OUTBREAKS a
1 Greens Salad Norovirus 165 5,840 21.4%
2 "Fruit” Salad Norovirus 34 2,031 4.4%
3 Lettuce Norovirus 32 1,052 4.2%
4 Sprouts Salmonella 25 1,879 3.3%
5 Mushrooms Chemicals/Toxins 20 98 2.6%
6 Greens Salad Salmonella 19 1,030 2.5%
7 Tomatoes Salmonella 17 1,943 2.2%
8 Lettuce E. coli 17 544 2.2%
9 Melon Salmonella 16 1,137 2.1%
10 Greens Salad E. coli 16 724 2.1%
During production or preparation…????
Rise in FBDO due to increase in contamination,
consumption, or detection…????
Source: Outbreak Alert! 2008 Center for Science in the Public Interest
11. Local Food Key Players
Supplier Buyer
Large Small Retail Direct
Medium
12. Food Safety Focus
Supplier
Large Small
Medium
No unified
definition
Livestock Crops
13. Food Safety Focus
Supplier
Large Small
Medium
High Risk
No unified Berries
definition
Cucumbers
Livestock Crops Green onions
Herbs
Leafy greens
Melons
Fruits and Vegetables Mushrooms
Nuts
Papayas
Sprouts
Tomatoes
14. Food Safety Focus
Supplier Buyer
Large Small Retail Direct
Medium
No unified
definition
Livestock Crops
Fruits and Vegetables
15. Food Safety Focus
Supplier Buyer
Large Small Retail Direct
Medium
Local Nat’l
No unified
definition
Livestock Crops
Fruits and Vegetables
16. Food Safety Focus
Supplier Buyer
Large Small Retail Direct
Medium
Local Nat’l Farmers’ CSA
No unified Markets
definition
Livestock Crops
Fruits and Vegetables
17. Food Safety Focus
Supplier Buyer
Large Small Retail Direct
Medium
Local Nat’l Farmers’ CSA
No unified Markets
definition
Livestock Crops
Food safety requirements
are not the same.
Fruits and Vegetables
18. Spectrum of Food Safety Requirements
• To sell “high risk” fresh 58
produce to a large,
wholesale or retail buyer:
80
– Global Food Safety
Initiative (GFSI) Program
• Third-party GAPs
certification should be 24
completed
• GlobalG.A.P.
• Intermediate Level
Assessment
More than 160 control points for Source: http://www.globalgap.org/cms/front_content.php?idart=1353
intermediate level audit required
to sell fruits and vegetables.
19. Spectrum of Food Safety Requirements
• To sell “high risk” fresh produce
at a Farmers’ Market or CSA
– No universal standard
– Requirements vary by market
• Depends on state and market
manager initiative
• Markets often offer
recommendations
– Farmers accustomed to
complete freedom in how they
grow and harvest
No required control points besides
visual assessment of farm by
farmers market operators (?)
20. Is there even a food safety issue on
small farms?
• Small to medium-sized farms surveyed (n = 226):
– More than 45% wait less than 120 days between application of
manure and harvest
– More than 25% and 15% use untested water for irrigation and
washing produce, respectively
– About half harvest crops with bare hands
– Over 40% do not sanitize surfaces that contact produce at the farm
– Only 33% always clean transport containers between use
Source: IAFP 2011 Poster Presentation. Harrison et al. “Survey of Food Safety Practices on Small to Medium-sized Farms and in Small Farmers’ Markets” P2-60
21. Small and developing farmers are
eager to learn and want to provide
a safe product, but is the
right information reaching them?
22. How do we bridge the “GAP”?
• Be PROactive
– EVERY farm should have a food safety program or
plan regardless of size and customer base
• Start with standard operating procedures (SOPs) based on
simple, common sense practices and then easier to scale-up
– Buyers should provide resources to help farms--
regardless of size--succeed and pass third-party
audits
• Small and developing farms often fail the risk assessment and
documentation aspects of certification
23. Resources for Small Farms
• TONS of information available
– National GAPs Program (Cornell University)
• Online based programs
• Downloadable materials
– FamilyFarmed.org (USDA funded website)
• Online tool to help create personalized on farm food safety
plan (Beta version)
• “Wholesale Success”
– Growing for Market (membership website)
Some farmers may want a more interactive option.
24. How does the farmer know where to start
and then how to implement?
25. Local farms need local resources…
• Small Farms Academy
– University of Florida Extension program could be used as a model
– Offer workshops on risk assessment and developing on-farm SOPs
– Cater to region-specific topics QuickTime™ and a
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• Local Food Safety Roundtables
– Model after University of Arkansas HACCP roundtables for poultry
industry
• Farmers
• Extension specialists
• Regulatory experts
• Industry buyers
• Market managers
• Health department
• Develop searchable databases specific to small farm GAPs
– State-by-state difference in needs and most relevant food safety issues.
