Farm Inspections on a Shoestring Certified Locally Grown

Bernadette MartinMarket Manager Kennedy Plaza Farmer’s Marketlbfarmersmarket@gmail.com631-678-5227 Farm Inspections on a Shoestring Certified Locally Grown

Why develop a farm inspection program for your market? If you participate in the FMNP you are responsible to guarantee at least 50% of the fruit and vegetables in your market are from bona-fide farmers. Market Integrity. You want to protect your market share and maintain quality standards and assurance. Food Safety and Contamination: We live in an age of Swine Flu, Salmonella, and Franken-food aka GMO’s and yes they are being grown right here Preferential treatment from Municipalities, discounted permits and fees. Mission driven program Consumer awareness

Federation Resources There is great information contained on the Federation’s website. You should check out: • Market Managers Checklist of Permits, Licenses & Certificates required for farmers markets • Agricultural Law Research Article on Rules, Regulations and Opportunities • Guide to developing a Community Farmers Market (good rules and regulations) • Greenmarket’s Inspection Program presentation from the 2009 conference.

Rapport • It is very important to gain rapport with the producer. Be respectful. • Learn to listen and be present • Ask a lot of questions, even the very obvious ones • Sensitivity to confidentiality and integrity • Avoid situations of conflict of interest • Inspect to the standard you will lose rapport quickly if you do otherwise

Keep it simpleWho may sell at your market? • Have a look at your standards or regulations: the level of producer only will determine how you proceed. If your regulations are very stringent then you will need to collect a lot of information. • If producers are allowed to purchase and carry items at market, you might want to have a way to track that. • Do you allow cooperatives to sell at market? • Are there non-farm based producers at your market and what standard do they need to adhere to? What about processed foods?

This is really important stuff • Have a detailed crop/product plan submitted at the start of each season, including farm maps, lease agreements. • Make sure it lists products, availability dates and acreage. You might liken this to the farm having a business plan, and this is just a good business practice. • You actually will use this information for advertising purposes, so try to help the producer to see the benefit here, you may get more cooperation.

Pull those crop plans out of the file cabinet on occasion What do you do if you suspect a problem? You could: • Inventory a producer at market. If there is a problem you need the paper trail, but it takes some time. If you are like me, a lone Market Manager, you may not have that time available. • Keep a copy of the crop plans at market. I keep my mine in a plastic file holder in my truck. If I have any question, that is were I go first to ensure that the producer has what they said they would have when they said they would have it. I also keep files for all of the producers license’s and such in the case of an spot Inspection by a State Official. • Most violations are discovered at market. Make note of your observations and date them on your copy if there are discrepancies. Leave the originals in your office so you can make copies if you need to. • Now if you would like to have a conversation with a producer about a product that has shown up at your market before its time, or whatever the case maybe , you have some information. This does not require any agricultural experience, it does however require good observation, and communication skills. • Write down the outcome or the answers you were given. • If you are not satisfied and would like more information it would be a good time to schedule a visit.

Take a deep breath It really helps

Planning your trip • Call at least a day in advance to schedule. Let the producer know the amount of time you might need, 2-3 hours, and what you will need to see when you arrive. That includes receipts for seed, feed bills, lease agreements, milk reports, etc. • Give yourself an hour block for arrival time, i.e between 8 am and 9 am, be respectful of the producers time, they are busy people. • Dress appropriately- boots, rain-gear, etc. secure loose jewelry, or clothing, tie hair back • Review the Crop Plan before you arrive, make a list of questions, and highlight what you need to see.

Now don’t forget to bring • Producer’s file: directions, crop plan-questions, licenses, maps, processing facilities. Any history of prior issues of concern. • Copy of your rules and regulations- be very familiar with them. • Clipboard, pens, cellular phone, camera, writing pad. • Confidentiality agreement • Receipt book, 2-3 part

Check it out- You’ll want to see • On farm: Fields, Greenhouses, storage, refrigeration, box trucks, vehicles, tractors equipment, staging areas, barns. • Verify the crop plan. You will either be checking things off or writing feverishly as you go. • For drive-thru inspections, which most are, you’ll want to get out of the truck and get a good look if you are unsure or if you just need to slow it down a bit. Ask if you can take photos, do not assume that you can, unless your regulations allow it specifically.

Land • Owned or leased? Are crops contiguous to neighboring farms? • Size of fields, acreage, row length and spacing. • Cover cropping practices • Soil type, sandy loam, black dirt, slope, etc. • compost • Irrigation, ponds, pumps, drip tape, overhead • Season extenders, hoop houses and row cover

Crops • Planting schedules and staggering • Methods of production • Varieties • Weed control • Pest management • Availability dates • Weather: rain, drought, flooding, signs of frost or hale damage.

Production • Seedlings, start ups, plugs, cuttings, bare root ornamentals, records of seeding dates. • Soil: you should see bags around or compost pile, labels, seeding machines, pot filler machine, soil amendments, plastic sleeves and containers • In ground production, hydroponics, rolling benches, hanging baskets, irrigation. • Check off plant varieties and record quantities.

Orchards and Fruit Trees • Acreage, row length, # of trees per row, how old are they, varieties. • Pruning practices, spray rigs, records, IPM procedures, • Losses due to weather, frost, hale, etc. • Labor who picks the fruit • Storage • Pick sheets, records

Equipment • Anything used to plant, cultivate, spray, harvest or water. • Vegetable wash station, salad spinners • Chemicals • Fertilizers

Staging areaPacking and storage • Packing line • Empty boxes, crates, bins, buckets • Refrigerators, coolers, chest freezers • Labels • Storage areas • Take an inventory of everything in storage • Off site storage or processors (i.e. cider)

% of sales • What % of production does your market represent to the farmer? • CSA • Wholesale • Other markets • Restaurants • Get details of the scope of the operation

Audit • Pick one item to trace back to it’s source • Ask for receipts • Pick sheets, these are usually used to load up for market, or inventories • Logs or log books • Harvest records for specific crops • Record your findings

Livestock • Purchase receipts • Feed receipts • Vet bills • Slaughter receipts, storage and availability dates • Inventory of what is in the freezer and what is on the hoof • Record your findings

Ocean Fishers • Log of coordinates where and when they have fished • Receipts from cutters, processors, smokehouses, gasoline, etc. • Harvest logs, species • Fisheries will show receipts of purchased fish which stock their ponds • HACCP Plans • Record your findings • Assess the outcome

Evaluating Yields • Pay attention to the weather • Limiting factors • Weed pressure • Overall care of the farm • Organization • Consult with crop insurance agents in your area • Cooperative extension

Exit interview • Areas of concern: let the producer know if you if you have any • Give the producer the opportunity to satisfy your questions or to show you why your complaints are in error. • If you are not satisfied, write it up in your receipt book and give the producer a copy so there is no discrepancy. Include the regulation that is being compromised. • Inform the producer that there may be a violation pending.

Violation Procedures • Report back to your Board of Directors or supervisor. Keep it confidential • Create a deliberation plan, and what the eventualities for a guilty finding might be • Give the producer the opportunity to clear up the issue • Pass judgment, impose penalty if necessary

Writing an inspection report • Create an outline or format that you are comfortable with, it might be a checklist format • Is important for record keeping and for provides valuable information to managers that may come after you • It is a legal document • See the templates provided

Overview • Federation resources • Know your markets regulations • Review the Crop Plan • Scheduling • On site verification of the Crop Plan • Audit • Exit interview and possible areas of concern • Reporting • Violation procedures

Questions or comments?Bernadette MartinKennedy Plaza Farmer’s Marketlbfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Farm Inspections on a Shoestring Certified Locally Grown