Graves Brothers Company
is committed to providing the cleanest safest food possible to its
customers. This commitment
starts at the grove and is followed all the way to the shipment of
fruit. Everything from satellite technology to the most technologically
advanced mousetrap is being used to make sure the customer’s
fruit is safe and clean. Here are just some of the management practices
that are in place.
- Precision Agriculture Practices – This
is the practice that is used in the groves that uses Global
Positioning Satellites
(GPS) to apply fertilizer and pesticides. This allows the minimum
amount of material to be used in the most beneficial places. This
not only
is good for food safety but also has a very positive effect of
minimizing impact on the environment.
- Tracibility – Complete records are kept
on all fruit and groves. Each lot of fruit packed can be traced back
to the grove
from which
it came. Records provide information on all pesticides, fertilizers,
cultural practices, and weather and environment conditions
for that particular grove. The tracibilty records will also identity
all employees
that have handled the fruit or who have been working in the
groves.
All this information can be provided in minutes.
- Good Management Practices (GMPs) – Procedures
are established and enforced in all grove and harvesting operations.
A procedure
manual is updated regularly.
- Low volume irrigation – All groves are
equipped with irrigation equipment that uses the minimal volume of
water needed to grow
the tree and the crop.
- Clean water – All irrigation water comes
from wells and self-contained surface water reservoirs. The water
is tested
on a regular bases to
insure its cleanliness.
- Pesticide training – All personnel that
is involved with pesticide applications is trained and licensed in
pesticide application.
- Pesticide storage – All pesticides are
stored in modern, inspected and secure concrete block buildings.
- Harvesting cleanliness – All reusable harvesting
bins are sanitized after each use.
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) – Procedures
are established and enforced in all packinghouse operations. A manual
of these
procedures is updated regularly.
- Employee Training – All employees are trained
on a regular bases about food safety procedures.
- Fungicide/Pesticide residue testing – The
groves and packinghouse are tested regularly for fungicide and pesticide
residues. These
test are conducted by independent agencies.
- Sanitizing and cleaning – The packinghouse
is cleaned and sanitized daily according to SOPs. Critical
areas of the packinghouse are also
tested daily for bacterial contamination.
- Pest Control – An intense pest control
program is maintained year round at the packing facility.
- Employee Sanitation – Packinghouse employees
are trained and instructed to practice good hygiene. Separate eating
areas
are provided.
Hand sanitation stations are located at
all employee entrances to the fruit packing/grading areas.
- Transportation – All trucks and containers
are inspected before loading, for pest and other possible food contaminants.
- Primus and Euregap certifications are pending.
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