Potato Grower

May 2010 Potato Grower

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COMMISSION MISSION by Frank Muir, IPC President GAP Changes New guidelines in audits for 2010 growing year THE USDA RECENTLY ANNOUNCED changes to its Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Audit program. The updated GAP Audit was introduced on Nov. 9, and is in effect for the 2010 growing season. Numerous changes have been made to ensure that farms are producing fruits and vegetables in the safest manner possible. While the Idaho Potato Commission encourages growers to visit the Idaho State Department of Agriculture website (www. agri.idaho.gov) to review all the updates, we wanted to highlight and clarify several of the most significant revisions: UNANNOUNCED AUDITS Auditors will not show up unannounced. They will contact the grower and schedule a meeting date that is convenient for both parties. An auditor cannot audit a farm without a manager from the operation accompanying him. In addition, an interview with a representative from the operation must take place before any audit can begin. Unannounced audits are only conducted on operations with harvests that last longer than 30 days. Operations with harvests that run for 30–90 days are eligible for one audit, and operations with harvests lasting longer than 90 days are eligible for two audits. MOCK RECALLS Growers will have to provide paperwork that identifies the specific fields in which the potatoes are grown. Auditors are aware that storage facilities hold potatoes grown in multiple fields; however, it is now the grower’s responsibility to be able to identify the field where the potatoes were grown. The potatoes can be “separated” by banners or some other type of marker that divides the potatoes by the individual fields. These markers do not need to be solid structures, and it is expected that some mixing of potatoes may occur. TRACEABILITY Traceability questions have been added to each audit section and must be answered thoroughly. DOCUMENTATION The documentation column of the audit checklist has been updated. The old checklist simply had the letter D if the auditor needed documentation. The revised version will have a D, R or P, depending on the type of documentation required. The letter D could be a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), company policies and/ or a record indicating an action had been taken. The letter R indicates a record is required. The record will show what action has been taken. The letter P indicates that a policy or SOP is required. WELL WATER TESTING In previous years, well water needed to be tested twice a year. According to the new guidelines, testing is required only once a year. ADDITIONALLY: n USDA GAP Farm Review audits can be performed as soon as crops are visibly growing in the fields. Farm Review audits cannot be done after the field has been harvested. n A signed audit agreement must be on file in the Boise USDA office prior to an auditor being sent to conduct an audit. This agreement stays in effect until the grower asks, in writing, to be released from the agreement. n Field Harvest audits must be carried out when the field is being actively harvested. n Storage and transportation audits can only be initiated when there is product going into storage or product is already in storage. n Payment in full, including any late fees, must be received before an audit certificate can be mailed. The IPC and the University of Idaho have created a GAP manual to aid farmers in passing their audits. The manual can be viewed at: www.kimberly.uidaho.edu/ potatoes/gap.htm. The manual includes worksheets for conducting mock audits in addition to information on UI’s new program, Idaho One Plan. The program provides data and software to help growers develop a single conservation farm plan that can be pre-endorsed by the various agencies as well as information designed to streamline and simplify the regulatory process specifically in the areas of nutrient, pest and waste management; water quality and wetlands; air quality and financial assistance. If you have any questions about the changes, please contact Cindy Stark, Idaho State Department of Agriculture at (208) 332-8672 or Cindy.Stark@agri.idaho.gov. I wish everyone a prosperous growing season. PG 26 Potato Grower | MAY 2010

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