Current Trends in Food Safety Practices for Small-scale Growers in the Midwest

Fresh produce and nuts are associated with 46% of reported foodborne illnesses. Food safety education through Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) workshops attended by small-scale fruit and vegetable growers may cause positive changes in food safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Surveys conducted pre-, post-, and 3–6 month (4 total) after fourteen GAP workshops (n = 134 responses) with produce growers revealed that the majority of participants had farmed for less than 4 years and sold fewer than 3 crops directly to a variety of consumer markets. Prior to the Level 1 workshop, fewer than 10% of participants had written policies on eating, drinking and smoking; worker attire; and documentation of product holding during storage and transportation. Further, over 60% of participants reported that they had clean and accessible handwashing and restrooms stations; tested well water; restricted pets and wildlife from fields; and kept records of harvested crops. The most frequently cited changes that occurred post workshops were in relation to documentation of on-farm procedures; water quality testing and training of workers; written protocols for sanitizing equipment, bins, and products; and product traceability. Development of policies and documentation development of food safety practices were noted as areas needing the most improvement and should be emphasized by instructors of GAP.