What Growers Should Know
Growers can minimize the pre-harvest risk of contamination from pathogen sources such as irrigation water, green or inadequately composted manure, or wild animals, through the following GAPs practices:
Irrigation and Spray Water Quality
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Irrigation water is from a capped well in good condition that can be readily treated if indicator organisms are detected in annual water test.
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Source of water for topical sprays is from a capped well in good condition that can be readily treated if indicator organisms are detected in annual water test.
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All water sources are tested for indictor organisms such as thermo tolerant coliforms and generic E. coli with records kept on file.
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Findings and efforts of local watershed committees are known.
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Records are kept of monitoring of sediment levels in surface water used for irrigation.
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Irrigation method used for fresh produce is known to be free from pathogens.
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Backflow prevention is in place with no cross connections between water supplies.
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Self-assessments or consultant assessments are made (and documented) to reduce negative environmental impacts of farming practices.
On-Farm Wells
- Well casing and well cap seal condition is good.
- Recommended well-casing depth is verified with local health department.
- Records are maintained of location and maintenance of on-farm septic systems.
- Records are kept of well positions and distances in relation to potential contamination sources (e.g. fertilizer or pesticide storage and handling areas, livestock yards, septic leach fields, manure piles, fuel storages, direction of surface water runoff, and diversions of surface water runoff).
- Record/diagram exists of anti-backflow or check-valve devices on plumbing (indicate if cross connections exist between water supplies).
- Records of all annual water tests are on file (tested for nutrients and chemical/microbial contaminants).
Manure Sources and Application Practices
- Manure handling documentation from provider is on file.
- Only mature-animal manure is applied to produce fields (never from young, immature animals).
- Time between manure application and harvest is always maximized.
- Pathogen contamination risks on recently manured ground are considered when making crop choices. (For example, never plant lettuce or root crops on recently manured ground).
- Manure teas are never used.
- No manure is used to side dress produce crops.
- Barriers are used to reduce manure runoff or movement to surface water sources, to minimize risks of pathogen contamination of water used by downstream neighbors.
- Produce is not grown in fields that might receive manure run-off.
- Manure is never spread to fields that are water saturated, prone to flooding or runoff, and is not spread on frozen or snow-covered ground.
- Detailed records are kept of manure use.
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