| FOOD SAFETY AND PEST MANAGEMENT AT SMITHS'
As producers of food we are asked a lot of questions about our apples and one stands out as a major concern for all: the question of food safety. We take safety very seriously here. We know that the food you pick from the tree or buy in our market must be safe for all to consume. Fair enough, but how do we do so? • Our staff is trained in safe food handling procedures and they practice them everyday. Washing hands, cleaning work areas, sanitizing machinery and containers, monitoring food storage temperatures; the list goes on and our staff are diligent in their efforts to follow these procedures with care. • Our bakery, food storage and preparation facilities are inspected and approved frequently by provincial and federal authorities; water is treated and tested regularly. • We are well qualified as fruit growers and handlers. Each year we add to our knowledge by attending conferences and courses to update and add to our expertise.
Integrated Pest Management Our orchard is managed using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system. Gone are the days of just spraying chemicals every few weeks until harvest. In an IPM system, the orchard is seen as a complex system and managed to produce quality fruit free from damaging insects and disease.
- Steve Smith |
Trees
are trained, pruned, fertilized, irrigated and replaced as needed.
Pests are monitored and spray controls used only when absolutely
necessary as part of this overall approach. Beneficial insects
are encouraged by using ‘softer’ spray materials that
target only the troublesome pests themselves. Many of the newer
spray materials are made from naturally occurring soil bacteria
or are insect growth regulators-- not just nerve poisons, as were
used in the past. Our “tool kit” for managing disease,
insect pests and mites has improved lately giving us more options
for management.