Training Resources for Producers and Packers

Welcome to the CanadaGAP On-Farm Food Safety Producer and Packer Training Resource page. Here you will find the tools to help you implement the Canadian Horticultural Council’s CanadaGAP program. The following resources are designed to help you train your employees; to work through the CanadaGAP (OFFS) Manuals – answering any questions you may have along the way; and to provide supplementary information to help you assess and manage on-farm food safety hazards.

FAQs and Pamphlets

• FAQ: On-Farm Food Safety Answers to some of the questions most frequently asked by producers and packers about on-farm food safety

• FAQ: Agricultural Water Frequently asked questions about using water for irrigation and agricultural chemical application.

• FAQ: Water Quality Frequently asked questions about using water for cooling, fluming, washing, rinsing and drenching fruit and vegetables.

• FAQ: Record-Keeping Frequently asked questions about keeping good records to ensure traceability in your operation.

• FAQ: Agricultural Chemicals Frequently asked questions about storage and application of agricultural chemicals

• Five Key Practices: On-Farm Food Safety for Fruit and Vegetables This ready-to-print, double-sided brochure outlines the five key practices which are the cornerstones of the CanadaGAP On-Farm Food Safety Program: Employee Training, Water Quality and Sanitation, Good Agricultural Practices, Personal Hygiene and Good Record-Keeping and Traceability. Distribute the brochure to employees, or have copies ready for visitors who come to the farm or packinghouse.

• On-Farm Food Safety: A Guide to Personal Hygiene A pamphlet for farm or packinghouse employees outlining good personal hygiene practices. This can be used to train employees in their role in helping to prevent contamination of fresh fruit and vegetables.

• Tips for U-Pick: Safe Fruit and Vegetables – A Picker’s Guide This is a useful pamphlet to have available to customers picking their own produce at your operation, with tips for good hygiene and picking practices, farm cleanliness, etc.

• Cleaning and Sanitizing Equipment  Provides tips on how to have an effective cleaning and sanitation program in place for equipment, containers and buildings.

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Signs and Posters

• Hand Washing Poster Step-by-step instructions for hand washing. It can be posted near the washroom, lunchroom or kitchen facilities to remind employees to wash their hands before returning to work. 
  English 
  Bilingual - English/Spanish 
  Template (Microsoft Word) - insert your own text in the language of your choice.

• Hand Sanitizer Poster Step-by-step instructions for using hand sanitizer. It can be posted at the packinghouse entrance, near the washroom, lunchroom or kitchen facilities if hand sanitizer is used, to remind employees to use hand sanitizer before returning to work. 
  English 
  Template (Microsoft Word) - insert your own text in the language of your choice.

• Employee Illness Poster This poster reminds employees they must immediately report any illnesses to their supervisor.
  Text-only version 
  Illustrated version (courtesy of the Government of South Australia Department of Health).

• On-Farm Food Safety Program Poster This poster identifies the five key practices which are the cornerstones of the CanadaGAP program: Employee Training, Water Quality and Sanitation, Good Agricultural Practices, Personal Hygiene and Good Record-Keeping and Traceability. It can be posted around the farm or packinghouse as an information resource for employees and/or visitors. The poster is 17” x 22”, but will print at a size of 8.5” x 11” on your home or office printer.

• Chemical Storage Signs Post these signs on your designated chemical storage area door. 
  Yellow / Black - (Microsoft Word) 
  Yellow / White - (Microsoft Word)

• Food Safety Tips: Sticker Templates (Microsoft Word) Stickers can be posted around the farm or packinghouse as reminder signs for employees (e.g., instructions for certain procedures, etc.). Use the food safety tips provided or insert your own. Must be printed on Avery 5163 labels. Labels can be colour-coded as desired.

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Other Resources

• Guide to Creating an Employee Food Safety Handbook Tips for creating an employee handbook with information on rules, procedures and policies of your operation 

• Form Management Templates
  • Version 1 - (Microsoft Excel) Use this form to keep track of names, frequencies, file locations, substitute forms, name of person responsible and status of all OFFS forms.
  • Version 2 - (Microsoft Word) Control sheets for annual, monthly and ongoing OFFS forms.
  • Implementation Timeline - (Microsoft Excel) Use the calendar provided to develop your implementation timeline of the OFFS program in your operation.