Assuring grain quality

摘要

Food safety has become paramount in the marketplace, so on-farm quality assurance (QA) programs such as Graincare can help farmers win customer confidence -- and monetary benefits. Rather than assessing end-point traits and removing defective product, QA focuses on production. It develops procedures that prevent production of poor-quality grain products, documents standardised procedures and audits the system to ensure the desired out-come. If the process of grain production is safe, the grain willbe safe. Australia is one of a number of primary-producing countries competing in the international marketplace. Consumers everywhere are becoming increasingly aware of customer rights, particularly over food safety. As primary producers, we must remember we are not just producing crops, we are producing food. The recent outbreaks of Mad Cow Disease in Britain, Europe and Japan have shown how quickly consumer perceptions about a product can change.