08/25/08 Inspecting the Fields & Orchards

Inspecting the Fields and Orchards. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. With the number of cases of contaminated foods appearing it has become a challenge to make sure best handling practices are maintained and that's where the Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Program comes in. QUIGLEY: We've actually got individuals in the field who are trained auditors right now where we go out and audit industries food safety program they have in place and this have proved to be very successful for us and the industry. That's Jim Quigley, Program manager for the Washington State Department of Agricultures inspection program. QUIGLEY: Last year we did audit verifications on 128-thousand acres. This year we're expected to do probably more than that and there's a lot of interest out there due to the fact of some of the illnesses or I should say the salmonella and listeria are starting to crop up and there's more reason for industry to have some type of standard operating procedures in place. We go out and audit to make sure they are in compliance with what they say they are doing and to do everything they can to produce a quality fruit, not only from a quality standpoint but from let's say a food safety standpoint to minimize potential microbial contamination. The programs are voluntary unless producers are providing products to federal nutrition programs. QUIGLEY: If in fact they're in the process of doing that then it's pretty much mandatory that they do complete a GHP/GAP which is good handling or good agriculture practice audit verification. More tomorrow. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.