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Sell food safety from the top down Communication is key in getting employees to embrace food safety. by Melissa Hansen F ood safety means different things to different people—sanitation, temperature control, personal hygiene, quality assurance, regu- lations—but what it really boils down to is human behavior, says a Kroger food safety manager. Changing behavior starts at the top and must be "sold" to employees if food safety is to be embraced. Last year's passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act soon will bring sweep- ing changes to the food safety environ- ment. Although specifics of the regulations being developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are yet unknown, standards for the production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables will likely include preventative measures, tracking, and traceability. Growers often feel overwhelmed by overlapping food safety regulations and multiple certification programs, but they are not alone in having to deal with various agencies and regulation, said Gina Nicholson, food safety and quality manager for the Kroger Corporation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kroger has 3,260 stores in 34 states, with 19 divisions, 16 store banners (gro- cery stores under a different name), and 700 convenience stores. Thirty-four dis- tribution centers service Kroger stores, and the corporation owns 41 manufac- turing facilities, such as milk and dairy plants and bakeries. Each state has its own retail health code that stores must follow that may or may not match federal regulations, Nicholson said. While growers have a part in making sure their crops are produced in a safe and healthy manner, Kroger and other retail- ers also play a role in the safe handling of fruits and vegetables. Nicholson works with Kroger store management to help educate their employees about food safety. Starts at the top "At Kroger, we have to sell food safety to our employees," said Nicholson, liken- ing food safety to a mindset. "If we want to make sure our employees follow food safety regulations, we have to believe it ourselves and be a salesperson. "Are we committed to selling food safety to our employers or converted?" she asked, explaining that "committed" means devoted to something, but "con- verted" means you put action into it. "Conversion has to start at the top," Nicholson said. Before 2008, Kroger's mis- sion statement was to sell only whole- some and safe food. But after an E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak in their Columbus, www.goodfruit.com Always read and follow label directions. REGALIA is a registered trademark of Marrone Bio Innovations. © 2011, Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. 16767 GFG It's not the tank, it's the mix. Add REGALIA® Ohio, stores that hospitalized 11 people and put Kroger in the news for two weeks, the mission statement was changed to "we must be relentless about food safety in our stores." Nicholson, who spoke to grape grow- ers during the Washington State Grape Society's annual meeting in Grandview in November, is passionate about food safety and believes that all employers should be too. "Passion about food safety is contagious and should show in everything you do." She encourages growers to integrate food safety into every aspect of their busi- ness, educating all components about the importance of food safety. Even account- ants need to have an understanding of its importance because funding might be needed to implement new training programs. Communication Communicating with your work force involves more than just putting up work- place posters, she said. Give employees the right tools, equipment, and time to comply with standardized practices. biofungicide to the mix for better plant health, better yield and a better bottom line. REGALIA induces the plant's defenses, provides bacterial and fungal disease control, delays the development of resistance and helps minimize chemical residues in harvested produce. In short, REGALIA is proven to make your protection program better. For more details, go to www.marronebio.com/regalia Just add GOOD FRUIT GROWER FEBRUARY 1, 2012 13