Food Safety
We, at Hansen Farms take pride in having the highest integrity when it comes to Food Safety Standards. We have always made Food Safety a top priority in our everyday practices. We adhere to all aspects of the GAPs guidelines from product testing to routine self audits of Harvest Crews, Cooling Facility, Packing House and Ranches. Hansen Farms was the first farm in New York State to pass all aspects of the USDA audit in 2003. We currently use GLOBALG.A.P for our third party audit. We have successfully passed each aspect of their audit. Records are on file for review upon request.
Hansen Farms implements the following protocols in cabbage production:
- Pre Planting Risk Assessment
- Pre Harvest Risk Assessment
- Harvest Risk Assessment
- Independent 3rd party audits of Ranches and Harvest Crews (GLOBALG.A.P)
- Microbiological testing
- On-going employee training to adhere to GAPs guidelines
- Cooling/Storage and Shipping
Overview of current practices:
Pre Planting:
Hansen Farms starts the season conducting ground history and field location assessments on each ranch to analyze any potential food safety risks. We obtain field maps and complete pre planting risk assessments for each ranch. A 3rd party crop/soil consultant tests the soil for appropriate amendments.
Pre Harvest:
Prior to harvest, employees are trained on GAPs guidelines. Employees are trained using video and training material from Cornell University’s National GAPs program and The Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Training Kit. Pre harvest risk assessments are conducted prior to harvesting.
Harvest:
Each day, our Food Safety Coordinator evaluates the field conditions, harvest crew, knife sanitation and bathrooms. Our goal is making sure the people that we employ know the importance of Food Safety and the risks that result from negligence. By educating all involved in the harvesting process, risks are minimized and a quality product is the result. We take pride in ensuring that we provide our customers with a consistent, quality product.
Independent 3rd party audits of Ranches and Harvest Crews (GLOBALG.A.P)
Currently we use GLOBALG.A.P as our auditing company. We are also audited by our individual customers.
Microbiological testing
Upon request, we can provide raw product testing for E. Coli 0157:H7, Salmonella and/or Listeria through an independent third party lab.
On-going employee training
Employees are trained several times a year including pre planting training, pre harvest training, corrective action training and continuous review throughout the season.
Cooling/Storage and Shipping
We take pride in having a clean, safe and well organized facility. All aspects of our facilities are cleaned and maintained on a regular basis.
Thanks to an efficient traceability program, we are able to track each bin or box from the field to the customer and all steps in between. Mock recalls and our traceability system are routinely self audited.
All product is cooled between 33-40 degrees Fahrenheit prior to shipping. Trailers are inspected for cleanliness prior to loading.
With the diligence of Hansen Farms, one can be assured that Food Safety is of the utmost importance on our farm. By continually improving our Food Safety program, we take a proactive approach when it comes to ensuring the safety of our product.
For further questions regarding our Food Safety program, please contact Jessica Holloway: 585.526.5260.