Instructional Materials Distribution
To complement the group instruction methods, a set of instructional materials was developed and distributed at the trainings and meetings or by electronic means. These instructional materials were created to further assist the farms to implement the food safety procedures and activities by offering more detailed instruction than the materials from the National GAPs Program. In essence, the materials “filled in the gaps.” The principal instructional material that was developed was a template for the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), also known as “the plan.” The development of the plan template was an iterative process; improvements were made as more information and feedback was received from experts in the industry, auditors, Extension and outreach personnel, and from the farms. Other materials that were developed complemented the plan template: a quick reference guide listing the conditions that trigger a record to be kept; a start-up guide offering instruction on pre-season assessments and activities, and; a pre-audit checklist detailing the steps needed to prepare the plan, workers, and fields for an audit.