Local food demand raises safety focus

Set up safety processes to reassure consumers

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Practices that ensure the safest possible food supply become more important as farmers markets and other means of direct farm marketing grow in popularity.

Opportunities are also increasing for producers to explain those practices to consumers.

Jan Warren, a home economist with Alberta Agriculture’s New Ventures in Lethbridge,, said operations such as farm markets and U-picks have been in Alberta for years, but the movement toward eating more locally produced food has increased their popularity in recent years.

“Things have changed. What we knew about food safety in the 1970s is not good enough in 2015,” she told the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association annual conference held in Knoxville last month.

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“We may be raising a generation of people eating processed food, and they may have less immunity to bacteria,” said Warren.

“Because we are the trusted providers of good quality food, we want to maintain that and do not want food safety slip ups.… We have to, each one, look at what we do.”

She said hazards and risks must be identified to minimize bacterial growth.

“Set up food safety processes and assure people that you do this. People like to be reassured,” said Warren.

Control and limit visitors’ access to reduce the risk of contamination. Have them wash their hands before starting in the U-pick patch, use clean containers and avoid picking fruit off the ground. Provide washrooms and do not allow pets.

Warren advised identifying risks and hazards and accessing programming in food safety and certifications such as good agricultural practices and hazard analysis critical control points.

Water in production systems should be tested, and chemicals safely stored. Look at how produce is harvested, stored and transported, she added.

“It’s just a matter of protecting yourself so you have some idea of what’s going on.”

Farmers and their workers are a potential source of contamination, so hand cleaning stations, hand wipes and toilets are a must. Provide hair nets, foot dips and covers for light bulbs to protect against shattering glass.

“They are little things but you have to think through food safety issues and how they affect your work,” said Warren.

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