A much larger group than the Steering Committee, representing: customers, suppliers, government, audit companies, association staffs; a broad scope of fresh produce commodities; a broad scope of operation sizes; and a broad scope of producing regions, including Mexico and Canada.  The TWG was commissioned with an open invitation to all stakeholders, and with the following Scope of Work:

To assemble a single, generic checklist for GAP audits:

• Focused on food safety practices of pre-farm gate produce operations (as defined by the scope of the FDA GAPs);
• With clearly defined requirements that minimize opportunity for misunderstanding, misinterpretation and “standards creep” by operations and auditors;
• Globally recognized, but specifically applicable to North America operations;
• Requirements that are risk-based, science-based, attainable, auditable and verifiable;
• Considering all microbiological, chemical and physical hazards reasonably likely to occur, consistent with potential hazards addressed in FDA regulatory guidances;
• Scalable to all size fresh produce operations;
• Considerate of regional- and commodity-specific food safety needs;
• Sufficiently non-prescriptive to be accepting of equivalent food safety practices;
• Acceptable to a critical mass of customers requiring general produce food safety audits;
• Freely accessible by everyone, including any 1st, 2nd or 3rd party auditor;
• Flexible to adapt as science reveals better practices and limits.

The Steering Committee further requested that the TWG work to deliver a completed draft to the Steering Committee by October 2010.

Technical Working Group Charter

Upcoming Meeting:

• July 21-22
  McDonald's Headquarters (Hamburger University) Oak Brook, IL
  Please contact Erin Grether for more information on the meeting and hotel options at
  egrether@unitedfresh.org or 202-303-3402 

TWG Meeting Summaries

• October 21-22, 2010 (Issaquah, WA)
• August 25-26, 2010 (Philadelphia, PA)
• July 13-14, 2010 (San Jose, CA)
• June 17-18, 2010 (Houston, TX)
• May 12-13, 2010 (Rosemont, IL)
• April 7-8, 2010 (Orlando, FL)
• March 10-11, 2010 (Irvine, CA)
• February 17-18, 2010 (McAllen, TX)
• December 16-17, 2009 (Oak Brook, IL)
• November 18-19, 2009 (Herndon, VA)
  

TWG Meeting Presentations

• May 12-13, 2010 (Rosemont IL)
• April 7-8, 2010 (Orlando, FL)
• March 10-11, 2010 (Irvine, CA)
• February 17-18, 2010 (McAllen, TX)
• December 16-17, 2009 (Oak Brook, IL)
• November 18-19, 2009 (Herndon, VA)