Since 2011, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) has worked with farmers, researchers, state and federal government agencies, technology companies, other sustainable agriculture organizations, and produce buyers to evaluate, quantify, and help overcome the barriers that small-farm operators face in attaining food safety certification. We have assisted more than 200 small and mid-sized farms across the Carolinas in implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and helped food hubs that work with those farms establish their food safety programs.
The intent of this GAP Fundamentals of On-Farm Food Safety Manual, produced by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, is to share tips and strategies learned from these farms’ experiences that other small, diversified produce operations can employ to meet wholesale buyers’ GAP certification requirements.
Committing to a culture of food safety in your operation is an essential step toward tapping the market opportunities for sustainably-grown fruits and vegetables in today’s changing local food production and distribution systems. Through this manual, CFSA aims to help you build that culture.
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Video Series
CFSA produced the below eight-part video series reviewing key components of the GAP requirements and audit process, and documenting real-world examples of small, diversified farms employing food safety tips and strategies to meet GAP certification requirements. Use this video series as a supplement to the Fundamentals of On-Farm Food Safety manual to support your GAP education journey!
The Good Agriculture Practices manual and video series were made possible by a Specialty Crops Block grant awarded by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services. CFSA thanks North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service faculty and staff, including Ben Chapman, PhD, Chris Gunther, PhD, Audrey Kreske, PhD, and Diane Ducharme for their invaluable contributions to this project. We would also like to thank Harland’s Creek Farm for allowing us to film on their farm, and GeoCore Films for producing the videos.
