On-Farm Food Safety

Who should attend the workshop?

Greenhouse Operators

Market Gardens

Is this workshop for you?

If you grow food products and sell to consumer or other growers who sell to consumers than this workshop is a must for you. Learn what needs to be done to become certified and learn how to protect yourself and your customers.

Overview of CanadaGAP

CanadaGAP® is a food safety program for companies that produce, handle and broker fruits and vegetables. The program has received full Canadian Government Recognition, and is designed to help implement and maintain effective food safety procedures within fresh produce operations. Two manuals, one specific to greenhouse operations, the second for other fruit and vegetable operations, have been developed by the horticultural industry and reviewed for technical soundness by Canadian government officials. The manuals are designed for companies implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in their production, packing and storage operations, and for repackers and wholesalers implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and HACCP programs. The program is also designed for fresh produce brokers implementing best practices in supplier management and product traceability.

The manuals are based on a rigorous hazard analysis applying the seven principles of the internationally-recognized HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) approach. The program is benchmarked to and officially recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Audit and certification services for the program are delivered by accredited Certification Bodies.

What is Program Certification?

Certification is the term used by CanadaGAP to describe the determination by a qualified authority that the supplier meets the standard and that its food safety program is being maintained on an ongoing basis. This involves having a third party auditor from the Certification Body visit the operation, review the food safety manual(s) and related records, interview the operator and staff, and assess the company’s conformance to the CanadaGAP Audit Checklist. Since the Audit Checklist covers all crop groupings, multi-crop operations may be able to cover their entire production in one audit, depending on which activities are occurring at the time of the audit. Those who pass the audit are certified to the program.

Certification indicates that the operation has a system of procedures to minimize the risk of contamination to product. The Certification Body certifies processes, not products. The auditor gathers evidence to attest to the ongoing maintenance of the food safety system, rather than simply gaining a snapshot at a given point in time.

How do I enroll in the Program?

Getting Started:

Step 1: Fill out the participant registration form available on-line www.saskgreenhouses.com and send the completed form to the SGGA office. This registers you for the program and ensures that you are notified of upcoming workshops.

Step 2: Participate in the 3 hour workshop.

Step 3: Commence the implementation process.

Step 4: When ready and if desired prepare for full certification. Six months of growing time is required so that the auditor has six months of documentation to review.

Should you chose never to become certified you still gain, because now you have good agriculture practices in place, your business is more productive and profitable, you could more easily transfer control to someone else and you will always know that you produce a consistent product of high quality.

Contact the SGGA - Saskatchewan Greenhouse Growers Association

Box 68, Middle Lake, SK S0K 2X0

Email: saskgga@gmail.com

Ph: 306-367-2012 Fax: 306-367-2403

Financial Support available to producers:

Technical Advice $1,500/producer, minimum 50% producer cost share

Equipment: $750/producer, minimum 50 per cent producer cost share

Eligible equipment approved:

Label maker
OFFS compliant light fixtures/light bulb covers/shatter proof light bulbs (bulbs first time purchase only)
OFFS related signs
Window and Door Screens for pest control
Sinks (with or without counter), taps, permanently fixed sanitizing lotion dispensers, pressure system pumps (if pumps non-existent and required to put in a hand washing station) for hand washing stations
OFFS compliant wall paneling and counter covering (non-wood)
On-farm food safety software (record keeping software)
Rodent and insect traps and control devices, bird netting, electronic bird deterrent devices, and deer fencing for pest control – bait not eligible
Electronic time/temperature measuring and recording devices for storage
Water treatment equipment limited to strip readers, circulating pumps, pH meter, water chlorinator, sanitizer strength reading devices, moisture analyzer/water activity meter, and check valves for detergents and sanitizers
Portable field toilets
Chemical storage cabinet
Luminometer hygiene devices
Metal detector/metal detector test wands/ magnets/magnetic banks
Light meter
Scale/calibration devices for weighing or measuring chemicals and additives