Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
management strategy is prevention and that is achieved through sanitary building
design and construction, an effective sanitation program and vigilant attention to detail
(Bihn and Gravani 2006).
Recall and Traceback Strategies
A key foundation block of a Farm Food Safety Plan is the development and testing
of an effective recall and traceback plan. Should there be a need to retrieve a product
from the marketplace, a plan that traces the product at least one step forward and one
step back is imperative. One of the best ways to approach this task is to develop a
product identifi cation system that will enable the grower of that crop to identify, code,
or label each item, container, or lot from the fi eld of origin to the distributor. Some
growers who grow commodities that are fi eld packed (such as iceberg lettuce), print
bar-coded labels in the fi eld as produce is being harvested and use this system to
identify the boxes of the produce, date of harvest, fi eld, row, harvest crew, time of
day, etc. The codes that a company uses must be simple, understandable, and well
known to employees in the operation, so that if a problem occurs, the product and its
origins and routes of handling can be quickly identifi ed and traced.
A recall plan consists of a team of key employees with designated specifi c tasks,
a list of events that would trigger a recall, the recall procedures, and how the recall
procedures will be implemented. It should also contain an up-to-date list of important
contacts (with land-line telephone numbers, cell phone numbers, emergency numbers,
pager numbers, email addresses, etc.), including distributors, customers, transportation
companies, warehouses, terminal markets, scientifi c advisors, produce trade associa-
tions, legal counsel, regulatory agency offi cials, the media, and other important stake-
holders. Examples of correspondence to all stakeholders, including media releases,
etc., should be part of a company's recall manual. The recall plan should also address
strategies for handling and disposition of the recalled products, as well as methods
for verifying the effectiveness of the recall procedures (Rangurajan and others 1999).
The best way to test a recall plan is to conduct mock recalls and identify any weak-
nesses that need to be corrected. It is imperative that recall plans be regularly updated
as contact information of personnel and organizations change. Produce trade associa-
tions have education materials that provide detailed information and examples of
documents needed to develop effective fresh produce recall plans.
Crisis Management
A crisis is a specifi c, unexpected, nonroutine event (or series of events) that creates
uncertainty and often threatens an organization's goals (Seeger and others 2003). The
outcome of a crisis determines whether possible negative consequences will follow.
Events such as foodborne outbreaks; product recalls; natural disasters including fl oods,
tornadoes, and hurricanes; power outages; and injury or death of a critical farm staff
member are some examples of situations where a crisis management plan would be
crucial to an operation (Bihn and Gravani 2006). Every farm operation, no matter
what its size, needs to have procedures in place to address and manage a crisis effec-
tively. Crises are unique and unpredictable, involve multiple audiences and stake-
holders, are often very expensive, have the potential to damage a company's reputation
and brand image, and usually involve the media (Andrew 2007). Having a basic
