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Every farm should have a traceback system in place to capture and record vital information at every step in the food supply chain. This helps to track ingredients and products back to the point of harvest/production as well as forward to the point of sale/service.
Product tracing provides a documented history of food ingredients and products and allows tracing and verification in the event of a foodborne illness or animal disease outbreak. It also helps to determine the origin and destination of ingredients and products. Here is a simple version of trace-back to help you get you familiarized with the idea. Proper compliance of practices is crucial for the safety and success of your farm. For more information and educational materials, watch the video below or visit Cornell University’s GAPs and Cornell University’s Produce Safety Alliance. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with this and other topics, and you feel prepared and knowledgeable, you can move on to Step 4: Writing Your Food Safety Plan!