More GRAS2P Tips

More GRAS2P Tips for Producers. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Today we give you more GRAS2P tips. GRAS2P stands for Growers Response to Agricultural Safe and Sustainable Practices which is a Washington tree fruit industry grower-based effort for audit readiness, food safety operating procedures, establishment of standards for sustainable practices, traceability from market back to farm, and continued use of good agricultural practices in orchards. This week Lacy Gray looks at traceability, mock recall and recordkeeping.

GRAY: Traceability refers to the ability to track your product one step up and one step back. For an orchard operation, this means you can track your fruit by orchard or block up to the warehouse. And you can trace the inputs one step back.

As part of normal operations, warehouses have a traceability program and conduct a mock recall on a regular basis. As a “supplier” of fresh produce to the warehouse, you are encouraged to be familiar with your warehouses’ traceability program and be able to provide upon request any crop production records, farm maps, transportation bills, and storage records.

Recordkeeping is an important part of food safety. It helps you with your overall business management and it can help keep you organized. Checklists are incomplete unless they are signed and dated. Global G.A.P. expects you to retain records for a minimum of two years. If you don’t document, it didn’t happen.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.