19fbtechreview.comJULY 2023Without proper education, it is not possible to maintain an effective food safety management system. The company imparts this necessary education through one-on-one consultations and training programs to help clients increase their understanding and implementation of food safety measures.The consulting process starts with a phone interview. It is followed by a virtual or on-farm risk assessment to understand the operations processes and buyer requirements before developing a training program. AFS then creates a scalable food safety program that can be easily understood and effectively implemented. These cost-effective one-on-one consultations and training programs help those looking to improve their food quality, develop new products, improve post-harvest handling, and prepare for wholesale operations. Growers learn the proper ways of packing and storing produce for larger markets through hands-on workshops. These programs create a solid foundation to access new wholesale markets, enhance food quality, and extend the shelf-life of produce.To support this, AFS creates customizable food safety management system templates, including standard operating procedures and record-keeping which provide a structured and standardized approach to managing food safety. Using these templates, clients can easily monitor and manage all aspects of food hygiene and safety and ensure they fully comply with all food safety regulations.AFS also provides guidance manuals with practical advice on how to prevent food safety hazards at every stage of the food supply chain,and resources that cover good manufacturing and agricultural practices. It holds webinars and workshops to prepare clients for any upcoming standards and changes in regulations to keep them ahead of the curve.Practical training is also provided in the form of farm audits. This is a crucial aspect of the educational program as it enables learners to gain knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience on how to monitor and interact with auditors during the audit process. AFS conducts internal audits to maintain audit readiness for the possibility of unannounced audits. It provides internal audits for GFSI benchmarked schemes like Primus GFS, SQF, and Global GAP to ensure compliance with regulations.Strengthening Local Food Systems In addition to its food safety focus, AFS works with school districts to source and process local food. It is committed to overcome the challenges of putting local food into the school system by building strong relationships with school districts to continue promoting local food in schools.It also collaborates with partner hub networks to ensure food produced in specific regions is consumed locally and not wasted. This approach creates a more sustainable and efficient food system, which is beneficial for producers and consumers alike.Its buyer-driven food safety workshops and one-on-one technical support enable growers and food hubs to understand the liability and marketing benefits of having a food safety program in place.Forging Partnerships with Industry StakeholdersAFS recognizes the importance of collaboration in achieving success and driving innovation throughout the agricultural value chain.
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