ODA making a difference for growers & packers of fresh fruits & vegetables

New service assures good handling practices and good agricultural practices

Ron Peterson is a 32-year veteran of the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Commodity Inspection Division. As field operations manager for the Shipping Point Program, he has seen a lot of changes — some good, some not so good. He believes he is witnessing today a necessary evolution of the division which has always offered independent third party certification of quality standards for various fruits and vegetables. A new kind of audit and certification was needed by industry.

"We saw it coming towards Oregon agriculture like a train rolling down the track," says Peterson. "We had three choices. We could either get run over by it, step aside and let it pass, or hop on board."

Today, ODA inspectors are helping drive the train of Good Handling Practices (GHP) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). It's all part of a federal/state cooperative program that includes ODA counterparts in many other states.

Four Oregon companies are the first in the nation to receive and pass the voluntary GHP audits conducted by the National Audit Alliance — a pilot program that includes ODA's Commodity Inspection Division doing the work. With retailers like Albertsons and Safeway asking for it, companies that grow and pack fresh fruits and vegetables are getting in line to have their processes and protocols audited by ODA, recognizing that the independent, third party certification can help in the marketplace.

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"This is a new kind of regulatory partnership for the 21st century," says Dalton Hobbs, administrator of ODA's Agricultural Development and Marketing Division. "It's the best of all worlds. It takes the official status of government and partners it with the good production and packing practices of private companies."

The audit shows that the producer or packer has processes in place that reduce the potential for microbial contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables. The audit matrix follows guidelines developed by the Food and Drug Administration and is often required by retailers — the principal customers of companies that pack and sell fresh produce.

"Retailers and their customers want to know that producers and packers are using proper procedures when growing, harvesting, and processing fresh produce," says ODA assistant director Lisa Hanson. "This is truly a farm to fork approach."

The audit will also assist in tracing back the source of any food borne illness that may be associated with fresh fruits and vegetables.

This is not your usual government regulatory program. It is a service to industry that is voluntary and has been requested by companies far and wide wanting a stable, uniform, audit-based service that will ensure a level playing field.

"With the audit, the onion packer in Idaho is held to the same standards as the onion packer in Georgia and the onion packer in Eastern Oregon," says Hanson.

GAP audits are expected to take place soon as the growing season begins. GHP audits have been completed for Oregon Onion Company of Brooks (onions and blueberries), L&M Produce of Merrill in Klamath County (potatoes), Circle "C" Marketing Inc. of Malin in Klamath County (potatoes), and Bear Creek Corporation of Medford (tree fruit). Three more GAP audits are pending in the Hermiston area. Numerous audits are scheduled to be conducted over the next few months as the interest level remains extremely high.

The GHP audit looks for areas in the packing facility where there might be an opportunity to introduce microbial contamination. That includes the washing of the product and whether the water used is tested or treated. It looks at employee hygiene and whether restrooms are regularly cleaned. It looks at whether the company has procedures in place when something goes wrong — like when produce falls on the floor. Auditors not only make sure the company has documented food safety procedures and protocols in place, but observe the packing of the produce to make sure employees are following their own rules.

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"We cannot make an absolute guarantee that this food has no germs or is not adulterated," says ODA's Ron Pence, assistant administrator with the Commodity Inspection Division. "But what we are doing is following through that the company is making all the attempts it can to ensure the food is safe and wholesome."

That should provide a great deal of confidence by the retailer and the consumer.

"I think these types of services are the future of our program," says Klamath Falls inspector Doug Beam. "Since the September 11th terrorist attack, the public and the farmer have a great concern about their food sources, and it has been our experience that customers and packers feel a lot better about their products' safety with these programs in place."

Companies that pass the GHP audit can proudly show off their accomplishment and use it as a means to do business.

"Participants who pass the audit will have the option of having that result posted to a USDA website," says Leanne Skelton, one of the federal officials overseeing the national audit program. "The results are typically posted the day following the audit. Anyone can go to the website to determine if a company had an audit performed and when it passed the audit, and they can refer their customers to the website as a means of verifying this activity. My vision for the future is for users to request this service at least annually, so they remain aware of their role and responsibility in reducing the risks to consumers."

Pre-audit walk-throughs have helped the three successful companies make appropriate adjustments and pass the ODA test.

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"We changed the way we carry out sanitary procedures," says Oregon Onion's Gary Curry. "We've brought in more manpower to assure sanitary conditions on an every day basis. We now have regular cleanup personnel with a specific schedule of what needs to be done each day."

While independent third party auditing is offered by private companies, using shipping point inspectors in each of the participating states is attractive to the companies requesting an audit by the National Audit Alliance. These inspectors are usually working in those facilities already, providing quality assurance inspections.

"The ODA-USDA stamp of approval carries a tremendous amount of weight," says L&M Produce's Mike McKoen. "Both agencies have a reputation for being unbiased. I can now have the same folks who make sure my product's quality is up to par also ensure we are following food safety guidelines, doing it the right way."

This is just one more service that can now be offered by the department.

"I can't say how ecstatic I am about this," says McKoen. "I thought there was no such thing as one-stop shopping from a government agency, but it is being done."

"ODA has as much credibility as anyone else who can do the job — they are in our place daily," says John Roberts of Bear Creek, which packs fresh pears and peaches.

The ultimate value of successfully completing a GHP audit is in the marketplace. With more retailers — at home and abroad — looking for evidence that these good practices are in place, Oregon companies could be at an advantage.

"For two of our major vendors, these audits will be mandatory," says Curry. "This will make the difference of whether we get the business or not. It's competitive enough out there that someone else will get the order if we don't do this."

More and more retail customers are looking at GHP and GAP audits.

"We want to be the first name on our customer's preference list," says Ken Bailey of Orchard View Farms in The Dalles — a premium cherry grower who is asking for a GHP audit from ODA. "This program will help keep us there."

All things being equal — including price, quality, and delivery system — it is now the certification of good handling and agricultural practices that will break the tie between companies and ensure Oregon products can compete around the world.

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