Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/57720
A portable hand-washing and drinking water station. cleaning of equipment, posting of signs for various reasons, and chemical and pesticide storage. A safe, contained, and organized chemical storage is usually one of the biggest expenses to the grower, he said, but there are creative ways to deal with the storage requirements, like putting the pesticide containers in plastic tubs to contain any spills. "A lot of growers have come back to me and said that they should have done some of this years ago." Changing the sociocultural practices of an orchard can be challenging, Phipps said. Food safety programs require "no eating," "no drinking," and "no jewelry" policies inside the active harvest area. Growers must also remem- ber to clearly mark "Not for fruit" on bins or picking con- tainers that are not used for fruit. Growers use fruit boxes and bins for all kinds of purposes, such as to store parts or posts, or to serve as tables. But they have to be marked so that they don't make their way back into the food supply chain, Phipps said. He admitted that many of the requirements seem tedious. "But once you get into it, it's not that bad." Costs Hull estimated that a grower involved in GlobalGAP will spend about $2,000 annually, which covers audit costs, testing irrigation water, and implementing pro- gram requirements. Audits for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program range in price from $450 to $750, he noted. Phipps said that the cost to growers for certification in the SQF program that Stemilt follows ranges from $500 to $2,500. Growers often ask both Hull and Phipps if they will receive higher returns for food safety certification. Both replied no. "It's a cost of doing business," said Phipps, adding that it opens up markets and give marketers more access to customers who demand certification. "It will soon become law for everyone," Hull said. "And, besides, it's the right thing to do." • 34 MARCH 15, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Jim PhiPPs