Employee training, G.A.P. audits and export requirements

Thank you to all of our Growers who participated in last month’s Heat Safety Training and Tractor and ATV safety classes.  The turnout was very good for both meetings with most employers and their employees attending.  We will continue to hold these meetings every year.  Thank you to Buckman-Mitchell Insurance for sponsoring the two meetings.

Many of the preliminary Good Agricultural Practices (G.A.P.) audits are complete and most others have scheduled their audits.  We thank all of you for taking the time to become Global GAP certified. We realize that you are all doing most of this work anyway as part of your daily routine, but to document and allow the audits is very helpful in our efforts to stay at the forefront of ensuring our customers that they are receiving a safe product that is sustainably grown.

Please remember that all blocks need to be skirt pruned in order to participate in export shipments for the 2014-15 year.  Specifically, fruit for export to China cannot be picked under 20 inches but we believe this is a good requirement for all export destinations.  Copper sprays will again be required and we will keep you posted on the timing of these sprays.