Photo from Bai Thao

In this episode we visit Bai Thao at her farm in Sanger, CA. We learn about Bai’s family history in agriculture and her farming and food safety practices, including water testing and an inventive method for ensuring her tools stay sanitized.

SHOW NOTES:

• A tour of Bai Thao’s lemongrass fields: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-RN6AxnJI
• Hmong history in California: http://www.hmongstory40.org/about-hmongstory-40/
• History of Hmong Farming in Fresno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0EEVlhvEH8
• Fresno Asian Business Institute & Resource Center (ABIRC) – a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to support and promote strong networks of Asian business owners in the Central CA region, including farmers: https://www.facebook.com/fresnoasianbusinessinstitute/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (some available in Hmong): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• FSMA Produce Safety Rule Water Requirements: https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/resources/fsma-produce-safety-rule-water-requirements%c2%a0insights-get-you-organized/

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Photo from Hillview Farms

In this episode we visit Shanon and Michael Whamond at their farm in Placer County, CA. We learn about Shanon and Michael’s farming journey, recent challenges and their farm’s food safety practices, including how they maintain produce quality during hot summer days and prevent risk of cross-contamination throughout busy days.

SHOW NOTES:

• Hillview Farms website: https://www.hillviewfarmsproduce.com/home
• Hillview Farms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillviewfarms/
• Sanidate 5.0 – the sanitizer product mentioned: https://biosafesystems.com/product/sanidate-5/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including SOPs): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• Introduction to Selecting an EPA-labeled Sanitizer from the Produce Safety Alliance: https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/sites/producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/files/shared/documents/Sanitizer-Factsheet.pdf
• Excel Tool for Selecting a Labeled Sanitizer for Product from the Produce Safety Alliance (find it under the ‘Sanitation’ heading): https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/resources/general-resource-listing/

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release date 3/9/2022

Photo from New Natives

In this episode we visit Ken Kimes at New Natives Farm in Santa Cruz County. We learn how New Natives pivoted during the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic, their food safety practices, including tips for passing a third party food safety audit, and walks us through the farm’s post harvest process and identifies helpful tools and equipment.

SHOW NOTES:

• New Natives website: http://www.newnatives.com/
• New Natives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newnativesmicrogreens/
• COVID-19 Food Safety Resources: https://caff.org/food-safety-resources/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including Food Safety Plans): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• Sprouts: Subpart M of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Factsheet: https://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170723110052/https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/UCM359285.pdf
• Farmer’s Handbook for the USDA Harmonized GAP Standard from Carolina Farm Stewardship Association: https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/usda-harmonized-gap-handbook-and-recordkeeping-templates/
• EcoLab Tsunami Antimicrobial Products: https://www.ecolab.com/offerings/process-water-antimicrobials-food-contact

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release date 3/16/22

Photo from Soil Born Farms

In this episode we interview Tyler Stowers, the farm manager at Soil Born Farms in Rancho Cordova, California. We learn about the organization’s history and growth, how they integrate food safety practices into their day-to-day operations as an urban-based education farm and address the food safety saying “never let produce touch the ground”.

SHOW NOTES:

• Soil Born Farms website: https://soilborn.org/
• Soil Born Farms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soil_born_farms/
• COVID-19 Food Safety Resources: https://caff.org/food-safety-resources/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including mock recall and recordkeeping templates): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• California Urban Agriculture Food Safety Guide: Laws and Standard Operating Procedures for Farming Safely in the City: https://escholarship.org/content/qt2wc7s0q1/qt2wc7s0q1.pdf?t=qod89d

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release date 3/23/22

Photo from Civil Eats

In this episode we hear from Dr. Floyd D. Harris Jr. of Fresno Freedom School in Fresno, California. We learn about the organization’s history and mission to connect Fresno’s youth with agriculture, how they implement food safety practices as an urban-based education farm and tips for communicating their food and human safety guidelines to youth, parents and volunteers.

SHOW NOTES:

• Fresno Freedom School website: https://xyfloyd.wixsite.com/freedomschool
• Fresno Freedom School Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FresnoFreedomSchool/
• Fresno Freedom School in Civil Eats: https://civileats.com/2019/02/13/fresnos-freedom-school-is-changing-the-narrative-on-farming-for-black-youth/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including food safety plan and recordkeeping templates): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• California Urban Agriculture Food Safety Guide: Laws and Standard Operating Procedures for Farming Safely in the City: https://escholarship.org/content/qt2wc7s0q1/qt2wc7s0q1.pdf?t=qod89d

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release date 3/30/22

Photo from Coastal Roots Farm

In this episode we visit Coastal Roots Farm in Encinitas, California. We learn about the farm’s mission to connect agriculture, education and ancient Jewish wisdom. The farmers give us a tour of the food forest, production fields, laying hens and compost production, and describe how food safety plays a role in their day-to-day operations. Listeners can look forward to hearing tips and tricks related to food safety recordkeeping and volunteer and employee training.

SHOW NOTES:

• Coastal Roots Farm website: https://coastalrootsfarm.org/
• Coastal Roots Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coastalrootsfarm/
• Washing Machine/Greens Spinner Conversion Guide from University of Vermont: https://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/2022/02/24/washing-machine-greens-spinner-conversion-guide/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including SOP and recordkeeping templates): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• California Urban Agriculture Food Safety Guide: Laws and Standard Operating Procedures for Farming Safely in the City: https://escholarship.org/content/qt2wc7s0q1/qt2wc7s0q1.pdf?t=qod89d

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 4/6/22

Photo from Jacobs Farm / del Cabo

In this episode we visit Jacobs Farm / del Cabo in Watsonville, California. Larry Jacobs, one of the co-founders, tells us about the company history and relationship with growers in Mexico. We learn how food safety regulations for imported produce helped identify contamination from an unlikely source, the importance of keeping wells covered and maintained, and tips for developing an engaging employee food safety training program.

SHOW NOTES:

• Jacobs Farm / del Cabo website: https://www.jacobsfarmdelcabo.com/
• Jacobs Farm / del Cabo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacobsfarmdelcabo/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including a pre-harvest checklist and recordkeeping logs): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• A summary of Farm Food Safety Audit Schemes from UC Small Farm Food Safety: https://ucsmallfarmfoodsafety.sf.ucdavis.edu/english/general-farm-food-safety/farm-food-safety-audit-schemes
• CAFF cost-share program for water testing: https://caff.org/food-safety-cost-share-program/

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 4/13/22

Photo from Wild Farm Alliance & CAFF

In this episode we interview Daniel Karp, Ph.D., Associate Professor at UC Davis studying conservation in working landscapes. Danny describes his research related to wildlife habitat conservation and bird activity on farms, and implications for food safety on produce farms. He also provides risk management considerations for farms with bird activity and resources for farms interested in attracting beneficial birds for their pest control services.

SHOW NOTES:

• Daniel Karp’s website with additional information and resources: https://karp.ucdavis.edu/people/daniel-karp/
• Connect with Daniel Karp on Twitter: @DSKarp
• Wild Farm Alliance: https://www.wildfarmalliance.org/
• A Farmer’s Guide to Food Safety and Conservation from Wild Farm Alliance and CAFF: https://www.wildfarmalliance.org/a_farmer_s_guide_to_food_safety_and_conservation_facts_tips_and_frequently_asked_questions
• Wildlife habitat conservation and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): https://www.wildfarmalliance.org/protecting_wildlife_habitat_through_food_safety_policy
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including Pest Monitoring log): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 4/20/22

Photo from California Climate and Action Network (CalCAN)

In this episode we visit Steve Fukagawa Farms in Kingsburg, California. Steve Fukagawa is a third generation Japanese farmer, growing organically in the San Joaquin Valley. We learn about Steve’s family history farming in California, his production of organic tree fruit and raisin grapes, and use of compost tea. We also discuss how the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) can impact the way growers use and apply soil amendments such as compost tea.

SHOW NOTES:

• ‘Nature’s Candy’: An interview with Steve Fukagawa on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5EZcz3ri1g
• A profile of Steve Fukagawa from CalCAN: https://calclimateag.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Steve-Fukagawa-Farms-SWEEP-Profile.pdf
• FSMA Fact Sheet – Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin: https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Fact-Sheet–Biological-Soil-Amendments-of-Animal-Origin_Download.pdf
• Food Safety & Compost Tea Use from The University of Vermont: https://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/composttea.html#:~:text=Make%20compost%20tea%20only%20from,the%20growth%20of%20harmful%20organisms
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including soil amendment application and recordkeeping logs): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• CAFF cost-share program for water testing: https://caff.org/food-safety-cost-share-program/

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 5/4/22

Photo from Sysourath Farms

In this episode we visit Sysourath Farms in Fresno, California. Veomany Sysourath, a second generation farmer, shares about her family’s history emigrating to the United States, working in agriculture and eventually starting their farm. Sysourath Farms grows a variety of Southeast Asian specialty crops on leased land, which presents infrastructure challenges. We learn about the farm’s food safety practices and requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), plus innovative tools they use to ensure their farm complies with FSMA. 

SHOW NOTES:

• This blog post can help farmers determined how they must comply with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR): https://caff.org/small-farm-fsma-series-part-1-of-4/
• This factsheet explains the record keeping requirements for farms that need to be in full compliance with FSMA: https://caff.org/fsma-recordkeeping-vs-organic-recordkeeping/
• The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’ Fully covered farms must have record of one current employee attending this training. See this list of upcoming trainings: https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/training/grower-training-courses/upcoming-grower-trainings/
• Fresno Asian Business Institute & Resource Center (ABIRC) – a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to support and promote strong networks of Asian business owners in the Central CA region, including farmers: https://www.facebook.com/fresnoasianbusinessinstitute/
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including employee training topics and recordkeeping logs): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 5/11/22

Photos from Urban Tilth

In this episode we visit Urban Tilth, a community-based organization in Richmond, California. We learn about the organization’s mission and programs to cultivate agriculture and build a more sustainable, healthy and just food system in West Contra Costa County. One of the farm managers, Debora Supinski, describes their year-long journey to formalize food safety practices through writing a food safety plan and SOPs. Listeners can look forward to hearing about the farm’s approach to volunteer management, maintaining food safety across the farm and distribution and efficiencies behind their wash and pack station.

SHOW NOTES:

• Urban Tilth website: https://urbantilth.org/
• More about the North Richmond Farm: https://urbantilth.org/grow/the-farm-today/
• Urban Tilth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbantilth/
• Planning an Efficient and Safe Wash/Pack Area from University of Vermont: https://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/2020/02/09/planning-an-efficient-and-safe-wash-pack-area/
• Designing Your Wash Pack Station for Food Safety Webinar from Pasa Sustainable Agriculture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgx-ojjb5S4
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including SOP and recordkeeping templates): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• California Urban Agriculture Food Safety Guide: Laws and Standard Operating Procedures for Farming Safely in the City: https://escholarship.org/content/qt2wc7s0q1/qt2wc7s0q1.pdf?t=qod89d

Photos from their wash and pack station:

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 5/18/22

Photo from Donald Sherman

In this episode we visit Donald Sherman at his farm in Kerman, California. Donald owns and operates Sherman Produce, a year-round diversified vegetable farm and produce market distributing throughout Fresno County. Donald has been involved in agriculture his entire life and knows about managing on-farm food safety risks. We talk to Donald about his family business and involvement with the African American Farmers of California. Then, we dig into food safety topics like maintaining food safety across multiple farm locations and reducing risks during post-harvest processing.

SHOW NOTES:

• Learn more about the African American Farmers of California: https://aafcalifornia.org/
• A guide to safely dispensing sanitizers from the University of Vermont: https://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/2020/12/15/safely-dispensing-sanitizers/
• A guide to choosing bins, buckets, baskets and totes from the University of Vermont: https://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/2018/11/14/bins-buckets-baskets-totes/
• Excel Tool for Selecting a Labeled Sanitizer for Product from the Produce Safety Alliance (find it under the ‘Sanitation’ heading): https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/resources/general-resource-listing/
• Learn more about CAFF’s food safety work with farmers here and here
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates: https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• The UCCE Small Farms Program – supporting farmers in Fresno and Tulare Counties: https://smallfarmsfresno.ucanr.edu/

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 5/25/22

Photo from Vitis and Ovis Farm

In this episode we visit Vitis and Ovis Farm, a multi-generational Swiss-American-Ethiopian family farm located in the Capay Valley and specializing in pastured duck eggs, fruit and medicinal herbs. We talk to Hans, Barbara and Giselle Herren about the 30+ years of stewarding their land, including the recent shift from producing only wine grapes to planning for a more diversified operation designed with permaculture principles. While they wait for their fruit trees to mature, the family shares how they plan to rotate ducks throughout their orchard while also maintaining food safety standards. They also describe some of the infrastructure changes they made recently to ensure their packing and storage areas are easy to clean and sanitize, and at lower risk of cross contamination. 

SHOW NOTES:

• Vitis and Ovis Farm website: https://www.vitisovisfarm.com/
• Vitis and Ovis Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vitisovisfarm/
• Learn more about the Capay Valley Farm Shop: http://www.capayvalleyfarmshop.com/
• Balancing Food Safety and Organic Requirements for Soil Amendments of Animal Origin from CAFF: https://caff.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Soil-Amendments.pdf
• A guide to Floor Design for Vegetable Wash, Pack and Storage Areas from the University of Vermont: https://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/2018/05/21/floor-design-for-vegetable-wash-pack-and-storage-areas/
• Read True Cost Accounting for Food at no cost (Open Access copy): https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003050803/true-cost-accounting-food-barbara-gemmill-herren-lauren-baker-paula-daniels
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates (including SOPs and Preharvest checklists): https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• Learn more about CAFF’s food safety work with farmers here and here

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 6/1/22

Photo from Stone’s Throw Farm

In this episode we visit Stone’s Throw Farm, an organic vegetable and flower farm located in Colfax, California. We sat down with Bryanna Eisenhut, co-owner and operator of Stone’s Throw, to learn about her path to farming full-time and what it’s like to farm in the foothills of the Sierra’s. Bryanna also shares about the challenges and opportunities her family experienced while navigating the coronavirus pandemic and farming with young kids. Lastly, we hear how a winter storm ruined the farm’s original packhouse and how they recovered. Bryanna tells us about her favorite packhouse equipment and changes they made to improve food safety in their post-harvest operations.

SHOW NOTES:

• Stone’s Throw Farm website: https://www.stonesthrowfarmca.com/
• Stone’s Throw Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stonesthrowfarmca/
• Instructions for building a low-cost handwashing station for food safety on the farm from the University of Minnesota Extension: https://extension.umn.edu/growing-safe-food/handwashing-station
• Watch the Right Sized Sanitation Practices and Post-harvest Tool for Small Farms Video featuring Bryanna Eisenhut’s favorite post-harvest equipment mentioned in this episode: https://caff.org/right-sized-sanitation-practices-and-post-harvest-tools-for-small-farms-video/
• A list of the resources mentioned in the video: https://caff.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/post-harvest-tools-for-small-farms-video-resources-3.pdf
• CAFF’s Food Safety Templates: https://caff.org/food-safety/food-safety-plan-templates/
• Learn more about CAFF’s food safety work with farmers here and here

Photos from the updated packhouse:

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 6/15/22

Photo from Luna’s Farm

Queridas oyentes, este es nuestro último episodio de la temporada. Esperamos que disfrute de este episodio especial en español presentado por el productor de nuestro podcast, Jaime Roque. 

En este episodio, visitamos Luna’s Farm, una granja familiar Latinx multigeneracional que cultiva vegetales orgánicos en Hollister, California. Antonio Luna comparte sobre la granja de su familia y su historia agrícola en los Estados Unidos, que se remonta a más de tres décadas. Aprendemos cómo la granja reduce los riesgos de inocuidad alimentaria a través del uso del agua, la capacitación de los empleados y la evaluación previa a la cosecha para detectar la intrusión de animales. Antonio también comparte consejos para otros agricultores sobre el mantenimiento de registros de inocuidad alimentaria.

​​NOTAS DEL PROGRAMA:

• Más sobre Luna’s Farm: https://veritablevegetable.com/grower/lunas-farm/
• Plantillas de inocuidad alimentaria de CAFF en español (incluida la capacitación de empleados, evaluaciones previas a la cosecha y plantillas de mantenimiento de registros): https://caff.org/food-safety-templates-spanish/
• Guía de productos orgánicos e inocuidad alimentaria: https://caff.org/organics-and-food-safety/
• Más sobre prácticas agrícolas que son benéficas para el medio ambiente: https://caff.org/ecologicalfarming/
• ¿Tiene más preguntas sobre la inocuidad alimentaria en su granja? Póngase en contacto con el personal de inocuidad alimentaria de CAFF enviando un correo electrónico a Grace a grace@caff.org

Production Team:

• Podcast hosted by Grace Perry
• Audio engineering and editing by Jaime Roque

Release Date 6/22/22