"Gate to Plate!" or "Field to Fork!" You've heard the message.
	Food Safety is no longer only expected of the food processor. How livestock are raised and crops are grown is now as important as what ends up on the table at dinner. Consumers are thinking more and more about what is in the food they eat.
	Questions being asked include: • "What antibiotics are used on the farm and are the recommended withdrawal periods being adhered to?" • "How are herbicides applied to field crops and what precautions are taken to avoid drift onto pastures or feedlots?"
	Many commodity groups have developed their own generic food safety program for their members. Implementing this program can often be a chore in itself to ensure that the requirements are met. This program must be specific to your farm and how you operate, not just how your neighbours farm, but must meet the requirements set out by the commodity organization you belong to.
	If you require assistance in developing your commodity specific On-Farm Food Safety program (OFFS), or just want an unbiased eye to review it for you, contact us to discuss the options. We can meet at your farm. After all, it is an On-Farm Food Safety program, not an off the shelf office version.
	If you do not have a commodity specific OFFS program, we will work with you to develop one for your farm.
	If you belong to more than one commodity group and are having trouble combining them to avoid excessive overlap, contact us. With many years of agricultural experience in both cash crop and livestock, we know we can help.
	GFSI recognized programs such as CanadaGAP, SQF, and BRC are now required by large customers such as Wal-Mart, Loblaws, Sobeys. Etc., especially if you want to supply under their branded label.