SOP_NUMBER: 409.03.07
TITLE: Vegetable/Row Crop Operations
REFERENCE_CODE: IVM01-0007
DIVISION: Corrections Division/Facilities Operations
TOPIC_AREA: 409 Policy-GCI Facility Farms
EFFECTIVE_DATE: 2004-09-01
WORD_COUNT: 1987
POWERDMS_URL: https://public.powerdms.com/GADOC/documents/105477
URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/409.03.07/
SUMMARY:
This policy outlines the procedures for vegetable and row crop operations at GDC farms that supply produce for institutional food service and livestock feed. The State Farm Administrator has authority over crop selection, production goals, and farm management policies. All farm staff must coordinate with supervisors and correctional staff to maintain inmate security while managing planting, chemical application, cultivation, harvesting, and storage of crops in accordance with state and federal agricultural and worker safety regulations.
KEY_TOPICS: Vegetable crops, row crops, livestock feed, farm operations, crop production, pesticide application, chemical safety, harvesting procedures, food service, soil testing, fertilizers, herbicides, inmate labor, farm security, Worker Protection Standards, field operations, crop planning
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FULL TEXT:
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|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**`Functional Area: `**
`CORRECTIONS DIVISION/`
`FACILITIES OPERATIONS`|**`Reference Number: `**
`IVM01-0007`|**`Revises`**
**`Previous`**
**`Effective Date:`**
`12/15/02`
|
|**`Subject:`**
`Vegetable/Row Crop`
`Operation`|||
|**`Authority:`**
`DONALD/ADAMS`|**`Effective Date:`**
`9/01/04`|`Page`**`1`**` of`
**`7 `**|
```
I. POLICY:
The vegetable and row crop operations shall generate products
for use in livestock rations and vegetables for institutional
use, all in an effort to match the requirements of the Food
Service Master Menu.
II. APPLICABILITY:
All GDC farms with vegetable or row crop operations.
III. RELATED DIRECTIVES:
NONE
IV. DEFINITIONS:
NONE
V. ATTACHMENTS:
NONE
VI. PROCEDURE:
A. Vegetable/Row Crop operations function under the general
direction of the State Farm Administrator who has sole
authority to determine crops, set production goals, and
institute any other fundamental farm management policies.
B. The type of vegetables to be grown and quantity needed is
determined by planning based on the Food Service Master
Menu needs.
```
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```
C. Row crops for other than human consumption are grown for
animal feed. Quantity, variety, and planting schedule
are determined by projected feed needs.
D. The State Farm Advisor is the official representative of
the State Farm Administrator and is to work with each
farm manager closely to keep the State Farm Administrator
informed about conditions on the farms. The State Farm
Advisor is to inspect operations, provide advice for
problems, and be able to give assurance to the State Farm
Administrator that official policies and agendas are
being met on the farm.
E. All farm staff in non-security positions shall be acutely
aware of the need for inmate security at all times and
shall support correctional officers in security-related
functions if it is necessary for the maintenance of
security. Said staff shall also observe all facility
rules concerning security in all contexts, and shall seek
clarification from supervisors or correctional officers
when in doubt concerning some security aspect of the farm
operation.
F. Crop Production Procedures:
1. After determining what crops and/or vegetables are
to be grown, planting dates are to be established
for each crop by the farm manager with advice from
the State Farm Advisor.
2. Prior to planting, soil samples are submitted for
laboratory analysis. Fertilizer needs are
determined based on the results of these soil test
analyses.
3. A copy of the entire crop plan will be submitted to
the State Farm Advisor.
4. Land is to be prepared for planting. The methods
used to prepare the land will vary according to
ground conditions and the type of crop or vegetable
to be planted.
5. After the land has been prepared, fertilizers and
herbicides are incorporated as dictated by the type
of crop or vegetable being planted. The farm
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manager or pesticide agent is responsible for
insuring that the proper types and amounts of
chemicals are utilized.
6. Planting is to be closely supervised to insure that
the proper plant population is achieved.
7. After planting, field scouting will be conducted to
monitor needs for pesticides, herbicides,
fertilization, and irrigation.
8. All pesticide application is to be done in
accordance with guidelines specified by the Georgia
Department of Agriculture to be in compliance with
the Georgia Pesticide use and Application Act of
1976 and the federal "Worker Protection Standards."
A pesticide agent is on staff at Rogers State Prison
and should be consulted as needed.
a. All chemicals used in the farming operation are
to be stored in compliance with Georgia
Department of Agriculture regulations, the
United States Department of Agriculture
regulations, the federal Worker Protection
Standards, and the Georgia Department of
Corrections procedures as indicated.
b. Prior to applying chemicals, inmates are to be
instructed in the safe methods of use, and are
issued gloves, goggles, and other protective
clothing as may be required. The federal
Worker Protection Standard and OSHA rules and
regulations regarding hazardous chemicals shall
be assumed to apply.
c. A shower area is designated and maintained at
all times for proper and adequate cleaning if
so needed.
9. Cultivation of crops is to be performed as required
depending upon factors affecting each farming
operation.
G. Harvesting:
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```
1. All farm staff shall be acutely aware of the
importance of harvesting vegetable crops in a timely
manner. The timely and efficient harvest of
vegetables and row crops require a coordinated
effort to insure adequate labor, supplies and
transportation are available each day. It is the
responsibility of the institutional farm manger to
coordinate these efforts.
a. The farm manager should advise the
institutional warden of anticipated labor needs
a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the
projected harvest date. After harvest begins,
the labor needs must be monitored daily by the
farm manager to insure needs are met.
b. An accurate inventory of supplies (i.e.
packaging material, sugar, etc.) must be
maintained at all times to insure harvesting
needs are met.
2. Fresh Use Vegetables:
a. Picking should begin as early as possible in
the morning hours in an effort to maintain
crispness and also reduce as much field heat as
possible before packaging.
b. Adequate gathering tools in good working order
must be supplied in order to prevent
unnecessary bruising and tearing of freshly
gathered vegetables.
c. Trailers and hampers used to bring product from
field to packaging facility, as well as,
grading lines and packaging tables must be
cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis.
d. Before transporting to packaging area, all
vines, stems and crowns should be removed from
fresh gathered vegetables and left in the
field.
e. After filling trailers, hampers or field-type
bags should immediately be removed from the
field and transported to the processing area.
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```
Containers of fresh gathered vegetables should
never be left standing in the field for a
prolonged period of time.
3. Row Crops:
a. Harvesting is to be done as dictated by type of
crop grown.
b. Harvesting of crops and vegetables is to be
closely supervised by qualified personnel to
insure that quality control is maintained.
H. Packaging/Quality Control of Fresh Vegetables:
1. All vegetables are to be graded and any damaged
product must be removed before packaging. This is
to include over-mature, bruised, spotted, split or
irregular shaped products.
2. All vegetables are to be clean and free of any
leaves, vines, crowns or excessive stem before being
packaged.
3. Packaging shall consist of either vented wax-type
boxing or mesh-type bag so as not to restrict air
flow when placed in a cooler for holding or on a
refrigerated truck for distributing.
4. Maintaining good quality of farm fresh vegetables is
of the utmost importance. Not only is it necessary
to randomly check all products during the grading
process but also to pull aside filled containers of
fresh product and dissect a percentage of its
contents. The practice is to be followed as listed
below based on 50 lb. cartons:
a. Cabbage - every 4,000 lbs., check 50% of
contents of 1 box or approximately 9 heads.
b. Bell Peppers and Tomatoes - every 1,500 lbs.,
check 15% of contents of 1 box or approximately
20 pieces of vegetables.
```
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c. Cucumbers and Squash - every 2,000 lbs., check
20% of contents of 1 box or approximately 15
pieces of vegetables.
d. Carrots - every 2,000 lbs., check 10% of
contents of 1 box or approximately 30 pieces of
vegetables.
I. Storage of Fresh Vegetables:
1. Cooler floors, walls and racks are to be kept clean
at all times.
2. Proper temperature setting must be maintained in
order for vegetables to remain crisp and fresh.
```
`Preferable 34` `F to 38` `F.`
```
3. Fresh vegetables placed in cooler awaiting delivery
should be stacked in such a manner as not to
restrict airflow. The movement of fan forced air
around and through filled containers is necessary in
keeping farm fresh vegetables crisp.
4. Vegetable containers must be given a lot number to
insure shipment on a first picked basis. Never
should today's product be stacked on top of or in
front of yesterday's product.
J. Shipping Fresh Vegetables Via Refrigerated and Non Refrigerated Trucking:
1. All vegetables should be handled carefully while
loading in an effort to prevent any damage.
2. Height of stacking must be strictly adhered to in
order to prevent boxing from collapsing resulting in
bruising of product. Most boxing is labeled with
height-poundage restrictions.
3. All trucks should be loaded in such a manner as not
to restrict air movement around filled containers.
The air stacking method should be practiced at all
times.
4. Refrigerated trucks upon completion of loading must
set their cooler unit’s thermostat as near as
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possible to the same temperature as unit in which
vegetables were removed.
5. Non-refrigerated trucks are sometimes used for the
smaller deliveries. This practice should suffice
for the deliveries within a 2-hour transportation
range from the loading area due to the product being
thoroughly chilled. Immediately after reaching
destination, vegetables should be placed into a
cooler until used.
K. Utilization of Produce:
1. After harvest, disposition of crop is carried out
according to purpose for which grown.
a. Fresh vegetables grown for use by a local
institution are transferred to institutional
food service.
b. Transfer to Food Service is documented through
use of a Waybill (IVM01-0001, Attachment 3).
Farm Services personnel do not have
responsibility for placing any dollar amounts
on the waybill; institutional Food Service
personnel will deal with monetary values of
fresh farm products. (See IVM01-0001, Section
G).
c. Row crops are transferred to a feed mill or to
appropriate storage, unless other use has been
determined.
2. All feasible measures are to be taken to insure that
as much of crop as possible is utilized for that
purpose for which it was intended, and that spoilage
for whatever reason is avoided.
a. When instances of spoilage or other instances
of low crop utilization occur (i.e., backlog at
processing plant does not allow use of all
product before spoilage occurs, or
institutional Food Service is unable to use
vegetables when available, or destruction by
pests or weather occurs), documentation must be
made to the State Farm Administrator.
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`CORRECTIONS DIVISION/`
`FACILITIES OPERATIONS`|`Effective Date:`
`9/01/04`|`Reference Number:`
`IVM01-0007`|
```
b. A memorandum is advised to explain unusual
circumstances not easily communicated. Major
losses (in excess of ten percent) of the crop
should be reported as soon as the problem is
recognized to the State Farm Administrator or
the State Farm Advisor; minor losses should be
reported and sent along with the monthly farm
production report to Central Farm Headquarters.
c. Extent of crop loss should be accurately
assessed, and disposition of crop should be
indicated (whether left in the field, or
harvested and disposed of).
d. Any identifiable consequences resulting from
crop loss should be noted.
e. Give suggestions for remedies to prevent
recurrence of situation in the future.
L. Safety:
1. Weekly safety meetings pertaining to work area
specific topics will be mandatory. A copy of the
meeting minutes including list of attendees should
be maintained on site for a period of two (2) years.
2. It will be the responsibility of all farm staff to
monitor farm operations on a daily basis to insure
the safety of both the staff and inmates assigned to
this work area.
```