Resources

Templates

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  Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Fresh Food (pdf)

  It is important for buyers of fresh, whole produce to have assurances that safe food handling practices were followed on the farm and during delivery to their facilities. Completion of this checklist can provide documentation to the buyer that GAPs were followed on the farm, and that the buyer took reasonable care when purchasing fruits and vegetables directly from a grower. This checklist can also guide the conversation between retail buyers of fresh produce and local growers as they establish terms of the purchasing arrangement to ensure safe food practices are followed.

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  Evaluating the food safety checklist

  It is important for buyers of fresh, whole produce to have assurances that safe food handling practices were followed on the farm and during delivery. However, not all produce growers are required to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Due to cost, many produce farms in Iowa are not GAP certified or certified organic. The purpose of this guide is to help food buyers evaluate the Food Safety checklist submitted by a farmer and identify areas of concern (red flags). 

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  Produce Safety Record Templates

  The templates and additional items in this collection have been designed to assist Iowa produce growers in meeting the record keeping requirements of the FMSA Produce Safety Rule.