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Crop producers urged to be proactive on food safety issues

It's much easier to do a good job now than play catch-up down the road.

Canadian grain, oilseed, pulse and special crops producers will learn more about HACCP standards over the coming months as a new on-farm food safety program is rolled out.

The voluntary Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program (COFFSP) will enable grain, oilseed and other field crop producers to ensure they're using good farm management practices as defined by the internationally-recognized Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards. What does that mean to the average producer?

"For most producers it probably won't mean major management changes," says Gordon Cresswell, a Tisdale, Saskatchewan farmer and chair of the COFFSP steering committee. "It may mean producers will need to look at their operations, do some fine tuning, and make sure proper records are being maintained. The goal of the committee in developing this program is to ensure producers are following good management practices without being onerous or too prescriptive. We wanted to keep it simple."

A manual covering crop production guidelines is now under technical review. It is hoped the final version will be ready for distribution to producers later this year. It will outline the various components of good management practices.

Industry wide

The move to create an on-farm food safety program for crop producers is similar to what's happening across the livestock sector of the agriculture industry. Dairy, poultry, and pork producers, for example, all have quality assurance and food safety programs, while many beef producers are now signing up for a national Quality Starts Here, Verified Beef Production program. (See related articles on beef here and pork here. Along with field crops, separate on-farm food safety manuals are being developed for the fruit, vegetable and other horticultural crop sectors.

The industry-wide effort to develop national on-farm food safety programs is one of the initiatives covered under the federal Agricultural Policy Framework.

"Launching this on-farm food safety program is a proactive measure aimed at keeping Canadian producers active in the international marketplace," says Cresswell, a grain and oilseed producer. He is also chair of the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission.

"There's going to come a day when customers want to see some evidence of how crops are being produced," he says. "And, as an industry, if we don't have this program in place, we won't be able to sell our crops. It is much easier to do it now on a voluntary basis than play catch-up down the road, and run the risk of having it legislated."

Good crop production and management practices involves many of the practices producers follow now, explains Cresswell although producers may need to keep better records and provide documentation.

Improved records

COFFSP will be looking for details such as a thorough chemical inventory. This will involve a record of what was purchased, how much was used, and where the balance is stored. "There needs to be a proper record," says Cresswell. "If, for example, a producer buys 15 pails of a particular pesticide, but only uses five, he has to account for the remaining 10 pails."

Proper records will include which crops are grown, field tillage treatments, and use of pesticide, fertilizer and other crop inputs. They will need a record of field sprayer maintenance, including calibration of sprayer equipment. A record of harvest, storage, and shipping practices will also be required.

"For example, there will be a need for documentation on commercial truckers hauling grain from the farm," he says. "The producer will need to ask the driver for an affidavit to find out what was last hauled in the truck, and then inspect the truck for contaminants, before the grain or other crop is loaded."

COFFSP is also looking at developing a traceability system, making it possible for crop shipments to be traced through the system from the end user back to the farm of origin, in the event of questions about a quality factor.

All about credibility

"We ñ the Canadian agriculture industry ñ have a good system now, but we just have to provide proper documentation," says Cresswell. "Customers aren't demanding these records right now, but within the next three to five years, customers will be asking about and looking for assurances on how our crops are produced. And we need to be ready.

"This program will strengthen the farmer's economic position, and enhance the competitiveness of the industry in the international marketplace," he adds. "It will give the industry international credibility."

For more information and background on COFFSP, visit their Web site.

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