Growing Safe

摘要

In response to Salmonella outbreaks, the almond industry has come out with a safety program for growers. THE salmonella outbreak in almonds in 2001 was a "watershed event for the industry," says Richard Waycott, the president of the Almond Board of California. It shook the industry because it made everyone realize that the food safety chain was only as strong as its weakest link, and prompted the board to rewrite its Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) for growers. Another outbreak in June of 2004, which also prompted a recall of raw almonds, has spurred the board to act again, and it has recently released a new GAPs rewrite titled "The 7 Practices of Successful Almond Growers." 'The food quality and safety program is modeled on the best-selling self-help book by Stephen J. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In that book, Covey wrote: "If you want to achieve your highest aspirations and overcome your greatest challenges, identify and apply the principle or natural law that governs the results you seek." This strategy was applied in writing the GAPs.