CAPS Community Accreditation for Produce Safety If you buy from CAPS buys you LOCAL FARMS… ASSURANCE And shows you CARE… … about the Freshness, Quality and Safety of your Fruits and Contact Hans Estrin, hestrin@uvm.edu, 802 380 2109 Vegetables
Wh What t is CAPS PS? Wh Why Should ould Bu Buyer ers Sup upport port CAPS? PS? CAPS is a voluntary, CAPS shows that farms are non-regulatory program minimizing ris k and complying of the Vermont Vegetable with the intent of FSMA, the Food and Berry Growers Safety Modernization Act. Association (VVBGA). Buyers can view the folders of CAPS farms, including their produce safety plans, photos, procedures, water tests, and CAPS helps farmers certificate. plan and document 18 CAPS is affordable and scales accepted practices that to meet the needs of small to reduce food safety large farms. risks associated with CAPS has broad-based fresh produce. support from growers, buyers and state agencies. Supporting CAPS shows customers you care about the CAPS was co-crafted quality, freshness and food safety by growers, of your fruits and vegetables. regulators and service providers to How w ca can n Bu Buyer ers Sup upport port CAPS PS? grow with smaller diversified produce farms. Ask supplying farms if they have a produce safety plan , or a CAPS certificate. CAPS Review team grants certificates to Encourage or request that farms who’s uploaded supplying farms participate in CAPS at one of three tiers. plans and evidence verifying use of all 18 Support CAPS financially , and receive recognition, if desired, accepted food safety though the VVBGA. practices.
CA CAPS Gr PS Grow owers ers Ta Talk lk 2017 20 17 C CAPS APS F FAR ARMS MS “[CAPS] was very accessible and helped our The season at a glance: farm become safer, healthier, and more • 110 VVBGA farms wrote efficient. The process was CAPS plans. very comfortable and I felt well supported throughout.” • “CAPS helped us get on our food CAPS participation increased safety game with minimum 42% from 2016. fuss, but big improvements to our operation. The online • 90 farms completed CAPS system makes it easy to show program and earned a CAPS buyers we have a credible food certificate. safe production approach. This for only $100 - amazing!” Where are e CAPS S Farms Fr From? “ Keeping farmers on board is like herding cats. I really appreciated the CAPS coordinator keeping us on tasks and making sure we complete the program.” “ CAPS prompted us to eliminate our well • 13 Farms earned the CAPS- contamination. plus Badge, selling over This was very important because $100K to Hannaford we serve a large Supermarkets alone. elderly population, with vulnerable immune systems”
CAPS Grows wit ith Farms Whatever the farm’s size and markets CAPS shows they are min inim imiz izin ing food safety ris isk! Three tiers of What farms get Cost for Designed for CAPS Farm Farm Folder , Produce Entry tier for all growers! Safety Plan and Share Enough for direct-market CAPS Pla lan Free! Page access (self-serve, retail (e.g. CSA, Farmers takes only 2-4 hrs!) Market, Farm Stand) Farm folder and CAPS For direct-market Certificate includes third- wholesale (e.g. CAPS Certificate $100 party on-line review and Institutions, Co-ops, revision of all CAPS Restaurants) documents CAPS Certificate plus on- CAPS-Plus farm 3-rd party For larger wholesale $300+ verification by VT Agency markets and distributers. Certificate of Agriculture
CAPS CA PS Fa Farm rms s Ha Have CAPS CA PS WOR ORKS wi KS with th Coordination From University Of Vermont E XTENSION Funding and Support From: USDA/NIFA --This material is based upon work supported by Employee Training USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2015-49200-24225 Labels and Containers plan! Farm Maps! Cold Storage Plan!
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