Gleaners: Community Food Producers
Produce Food Safety
Gleaners must follow the California Small Farm Food Safety Guidelines. See also UC Pre and Post-Harvest Food Safety for training and produce safety information. Much of the information in UC ANR's Urban Agriculture Food Safety Guide applies to gleaning.
Labeling and Record-keeping
When selling or donating produce elsewhere, they must label produce with their name and address if the produce is sold in a package. When selling directly to the public, gleaners must keep records of the type of food sold and the date. These records must be kept for 30 days.
Authorization and Approved Source
2015 California legislation, AB 234 Community Food Producers and Gleaners: Sale of Commodities authorizes community food producers, including gleaners, to sell or provide whole, uncut fruits or vegetables, or unrefrigerated shell eggs, directly to any permitted food facility. This means the produce is considered from an "Approved Source" that can be sold or donated to "Permitted food facilities" are those operations that provide food to consumers (e.g. restaurants, food banks, Cottage Food Operations, Processed Food Registrants, and so on).
Gleaners and California Retail Food Code
Gleaners are defined in CA Dept of Public Health's Retail Food Code as "Community Food Producers" per California Retail Food Code [114376(b)(1) and (2)]:
"A gleaner may sell or provide whole uncut fruits or vegetables, or unrefrigerated shell eggs, produced by a community food producer directly to the public without registration if the gleaner meets all of the requirements specified in subdivisions (a) and (d)."
"A gleaner may donate whole uncut fruits or vegetables, or unrefrigerated shell eggs, produced by a community food producer to a food bank or food kitchen without registration if it meets both of the following requirements:
(A) Best management practices, as described by the Department of Food and Agriculture, regarding small farm food safety guidelines on handling of both nonpotentially hazardous and potentially hazardous foods.
(B) Record retention requirements specified in subdivision (d)." See Labeling and Record-keeping above.
Requirements for gleaned produce to be donated or sold:
(1) Following these guidelines means the produce is generally recognized industry standards that protect public health (i.e. it's "approved source").
(2) Agricultural products that are packaged shall have the package labeled with the name and address of the community food producer.
(3) Conspicuous signage shall be provided in lieu of a product label if the agricultural product is being sold by the community food producer on the site of production. The signage shall include, but not be limited to, the name and address of the community food producer.
(4) Best management practices, as described by the Department of Food and Agriculture, regarding small farm food safety guidelines on, but not limited to, safe production, processing, and handling of both nonpotentially hazardous and potentially hazardous foods.
(5) Egg production shall be limited to 15 dozen eggs per month.