PSA Working Committee 2 - Common Issues September 13, 2011 3PM EST Meeting Minutes **Note new call in number** Please use this call in number and passcode for future meetings. 1. Dial Toll-free: 866-906-9888 2. Enter Participant Passcode: 8140591

Attendees: Lori Pivarnik Dave Gombas Vicki Scott Cynthia Haskins Chip Simmons Bill Hurst Betsy Bihn Wes Kline Diane Ducharme Ashley Kulhanek Gretchen Wall Luke LaBorde Liz Maynard

Agenda:

1. Review of notes from 8/23/11

2. Next topics – Betsy had forwarded some more details on the Grounds and Maintenance subject. Diane suggested that Gretchen forward these details to WC#2 and if time allows we can discuss this topic. For this conference call, we will move onto toilet and hand washing facilities.

3. Challenges for Toilet and hand washing facilities  Cost of portable rental units –  Number of rental toilets  Guidelines on use of home toilets  Understanding the need for toilets and hand washing facilities for “family” only workers  Plans for low-cost hand washing units – Minnesota and NCSU resources, Use your foot  Placement of toilets in field  Portability of toilet and hand washing fields  Design of home-made toilets – field conditions toilets – addressing the risk that home-made toilets represent  Necessary Components of hand washing facilities  Recommendation on water temperatures  Proper disposal of waste water  Sanitation of components (buckets) necessary for handwashing facilities  Water quality of hand washing water (microbial standards for EPA drinking water quality vs potable)  Simple and consistent terminology on recommendations  ADA recommendations- retrofit of equipment  Sanitizing without hand washing facilities – commonality of recommendations -AFDO Model code (E1A)- cleaning (step 1) and then sanitizing (step 2)  National recommendation for small farmers –  Costs of recommendations

1  Accessibility of water of appropriate water quality – getting handwashing to the field –  Maintaining sanitation or water quality of water throughout its intended use for handwashing  CPS reference – look up  Composting toilets – good designs for farm use  Some state regulatory have pit toilet constructions

4. Add/Remove to Worker health and hygiene  Add - Distinctions between when washing hands and pee and poo  Remove - Temperature of water 5. Miscellaneous - Side Notes  Agribility as a resource - regional person to bring in – resources for disability 6. Challenges on Produce Safety Plan  Computer literacy  Fear (Earnest Hemingway “ greatest fear is a blank sheet of paper”)  More examples needed-  What is a sufficient plan – length and detail  Guidelines only vs regulations  Dynamic process  Cultural differences  Language barriers  Balance between having a farmer do their own plan and doing it for them– challenge is to make it interactive – farmers need to do themselves  Suggestions on what to include into plan  Group planning – local cooperative planning  Not just having one person on the farm being responsible for the plan – getting the entire farm involved- Difference between a plan and a program  Educating farmers on risk reducing techniques  employee trainings  Management teach by example  Documentation – uniform checklist and documentation

Next Meeting Agenda: Please submit your agenda item to Diane before next meeting to be included: Talk about the on-farm challenges from the following topic areas:  Produce Safety Plan  Sanitation and Ground Maintenance

Next Meeting Dates: (expect ~ one hour meetings)  October 4 - 3 PM EST  October 25 – 3 PM EST  November 15 - 3 PM EST  December 6 - 3 PM EST

Meeting adjourned at 4:05 PM Respectfully submitted by D. Ducharme 9/13/11

2 Notes from 8/23/11 and forwarded notes (each of you should have an email from Gretchen) from Betsy and Gretchen on Sanitation and Ground Maintenance.

From 8/23/11 Meeting Notes _ Sanitation and Ground Maintenance – Betsy gave us clarification on this area to include:  Garbage cans overflowing, lunch trash training challenges,  Maybe overlap with packinghouse  Field and packinghouse pre and postharvest  Can include cleaning and sanitizing toilet facilities, sanitizing in harvest equipment  Proper use of sanitizers – state and federal definition

From forwarded email 9/13/11: Grounds and Maintenance Items that have been covered by WC #4 and #6:

• Animal attractants are minimized by discarding old equipment and containers, removing excess water, and keeping weeds and brush mowed. • All storage and packing areas are inspected weekly for rodents, birds and insects. Pest control procedures (traps, screening and doors) are used to exclude or prevent establishment of pests. • SOPs are in place for pest control. • Cull piles from harvest or packing operations are not located near packing house areas AND are either composted or field spread daily

General (basic building) • Chemicals for lubrication should be food grade for grading line, but not necessarily all equipment. Food grade lubricant is expensive and not practical. • Chemicals are maintained at the proper temperature during storage. • Do not store liquid chemicals above powdered chemicals. • All chemical containers are labeled and have been documented in a detailed inventory. • Pesticides are stored on impermeable shelves over an impermeable floor with curbs or dikes to contain leaks or spills. There is no floor drain OR the floor drains to an acceptable holding tank. 1. Outside consideration a. Removal of harborage areas b. Assessing run-off from other farms c. Land review prior to planting crops (WC 3) 2. Inside consideration a. Screens b. Packing line sanitation c. Packing container sanitation d. Glass control- kerosene/coil lamps 3. Construction of picking and grading tables should be made from approved materials for FCS a. Stainless steel b. Wood tables covered with linoleum c. Definition of a ‘cleanable surface’ by Food Code d. Tile has joints and cracks, may not be acceptable e. Temporary repairs to food contact surfaces

Neither have talked much about sanitary design or upkeep of facilities

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