Information for Producers

Food Safety Resources

Food Safety Plans
Food safety is taking center stage in America. Consumers and retailers are demanding accountability when it comes to producing, buying and selling fresh produce. Developing, implementing and auditing a food safety plan are essential to Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and it can reduce both health and business risks for consumers and growers. This page is a collection of resources for food producers.

Creating a Food Safety Plan - Templates
FSP4U - A Food Safety Plan for You - University of Minnesota
Good Agricultural Practices – Fresh Produce Safety Plan for Field Practices - NC Cooperative Extension

Third Party Audits
Video: Fresh Produce Safety - NC Mock Field Audit
Third Party Audit Resources - NC State

Finding Certified Farms
List of GAP and Organic Certified Fruit & Vegetable Farms in Northeast Iowa
USDA GAP Certification Database
MOSA Certified Organic Farm Database


TWO WASH STATION DESIGNS
Iowa growers who want to make sure they are following good postharvest handling and food safety practices now have access to plans for building their own vegetable wash stations. The plans are based on what’s being used at One Step At a Time Gardens near Kanawha, which hosted a recent field day. The plans are online, a project of the Fruit and Vegetable Working Group.



Handouts from NE IA On-Farm Food Safety Workshop, July 2010
Best Food Safety Practices for Farms, Part 1
Best Food Safety Practices for Farms, Part 2
Is Produce Safe? Minimizing Risk, Part 1
Is Produce Safe? Minimizing Risk, Part 2
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Standard Operating Procedures
Marketing to Food Service


Iowa Food Regulations
Frequently Asked Questions on Food Regulations for Small Market Food Producers  (August 2009)

ExtensionPublications:

• Local Food Connections: From Farms to Restaurants
• Local Food Connections: Foodservice Considerations  
• Local Food Connections: Farm to Schools
• Local Food Connections: Contracting with Foodservices
• Local Food Connections: Economic Impact of Use in Restaurants
• Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Local Produce
• What retail foodservices should know when purchasing local produce directly from farmers  **
• What producers should know about selling to local foodservice markets
• Buying Local Foods for Retail Foodservices
• On-farm Food Safety: Guide to Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
• On-farm Food Safety: Guide to Food Handling
• On-farm Food Safety: Guide to Cleaning and Sanitizing