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Food Safety for Small Farms

E coli leaf

Spinach leaf print on agar showing the microbes on a leaf surface

 

ecoli in stomata 2

Green labeled E. coli on the stomata opening of a spinach leaf

Foodborne illness is common, costly, and preventable. Whether your farm is 2 acres or 2,000 acres, good agricultural practices (GAPs) and compliance with food safety regulations are important to avoid outbreaks and access markets. CDC estimates that each year 1 in 6 Americans (roughly 48 million people) get sick from contaminated food or beverages and 3,000 die from foodborne illness. The USDA estimates that foodborne illnesses cost the United States more than $15.6 billion each year.

We provide education, outreach, and technical assistance for food safety on small-scale farms with our education program on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and on the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety rule.We are available to help small-scale farms with food safety compliance. If you have any questions, please contact our office by calling (###) ###-#### or email us at hkdoan@ucanr.edu

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rules and Updates

Below you will find the text of the FSMA rule. National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has made more simplified versions available for both Produce Farms and Food Facilities. To see if your farm is affected by the new FSMA rule, please refer to this flow chart prepared by the NSAC.

Full Text of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) 
NSAC's Simplified Version for Produce Farms    
NSAC's Simplified Version for Food Facilities  

 

Record-Keeping Templates

The food safety resources and downloadable templates on this site are available to print for use.

Administrative:

Employee Training Log English Espanol Hmoob Chinese   
Injury Log English Espanol Chinese
Visitor Sign-In Log English Espanol Chinese
First-aid Kit Requirements (OSHA) English                                       
First-Aid Kit Log English Espanol  Chinese       
Sales Log English Espanol Hmoob Chinese
Employee Break Area Log English Espanol Chinese
Hand-Wash & Restroom Cleaning Checklist English Espanol Chinese       

Production:
Chemical Spray Log English Espanol Chinese        
Irrigation Log English Espanol Chinese
Water Testing Log English
 Espanol Chinese     
Water Treatment Log English Espanol Chinese
Cleaning & Sanitizing Log English Espanol Hmoob  Chinese

Soil Amendment Log English  Espanol  Chinese
Compost Log English
  Espanol Chinese
Pre-Harvest Checklist English
 Espanol Chinese
Harvest Log English
  Espanol  Chinese
Post-Harvest Wash Water Log English
  Espanol Chinese
Cold Storage Log English
  Espanol  Chinese
Transportation Truck Inspection Log English Espanol  Chinese
Wildlife & Pest Management Log English  Espanol  Chinese

 

Other resources

Food Safety News and Update
UC Small Farm Program Food Safety
National Good Agricultural Practices Program
Good Agricultural Practice Harmonization Initiative

USDA LINKS

USDA Audit Checklist
USDA Audit Score Sheet
United Fresh Harmonized GAP Standards
Produce GAPs Harmonized Checklist Pre-Farmgate
Produce GAPs Harmonized Checklist Packing House