Implementation and analysis of an on-farm food safety program for the production of greenhouse vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables are increasingly being recognized as vectors for foodborne illness. In 1998, an on-farm food safety program was developed for the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) in Ontario, Canada. This hazard analysis critical control point-based system was designed to reduce the potential of microbial contamination along the entire production and distribution process. A previous report (D. A. Powell, M. Bobadilla-Ruiz, A. Whitfield, M. W. Griffiths, and A. Luedtke, J. Food Prot. 65:918-923) outlined the first 2 years of the program; the present report documents the third year of the program's implementation. Through individual on-site grower visits and the microbiological testing of produce and water, the program's OGVG member requirements were determined, and the program's success was assessed. Growers' knowledge, understanding, and awareness of microbial risks associated with fresh produce have increased, and improvements in practices used in greenhouses and packing sheds were noted.