Good Agricultural Practices & Produce Safety Rule

USDA AMS audit programs; FDA 21 CFR 112 · Crop production, harvest, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables

Requirements for growing operations: worker health and hygiene, agricultural water quality, biological soil amendments, wildlife and domesticated animal controls, and equipment and harvest sanitation — plus the traceability records buyers ask for.

Key points

• Agricultural water used on produce must be inspected and tested at defined frequencies.
• Raw manure and other biological soil amendments require application intervals and records.
• Worker training on hygiene and illness reporting must be documented annually.
• Harvest equipment, tools and food-contact surfaces need cleaning and sanitation records.