Horticulture food safety initiative (HN21000)

What is it all about?

This project is empowering the Australian and New Zealand fresh produce industries to raise the standard of food safety by bringing knowledge that is proven, trusted, accessible and easy to implement.

By delivering timely, practical and straightforward information on fresh produce food safety, the project will also support the broader horticulture industry from large to small producers to meet food safety obligations. Further, it will build knowledge and links between food safety researchers, regulators and food safety managers in Australian and New Zealand horticultural businesses.

The outputs from this project will provide trusted fresh produce food safety information that will reduce risks of market failure, enhance industry efforts to raise the standard of food safety and assist growers in complying with safe food programs on their farms.

This project will liaise with existing horticulture food safety groups, peak industry bodies and other stakeholders in Australia and New Zealand to review existing food safety technical capacity, industry resources, research outcomes and available training. Concurrently, a survey will be conducted of the target audience (growers, food safety managers in horticultural businesses, supply chain stakeholders, food safety researchers and experts) to identify potential opportunities for food safety support (and future research needs) and as an input for developing appropriate extension strategies.