Brockport, N.Y. — As workers wash the winter squash at Martin Farms in Brockport, owners were reviewing newly proposed food safety rules.
“A lot of that stuff is already in place on our farm anyway,” said Mitch Beyler, a partner at Martin Farms.
Beyler said food safety is priority for both the farm and food plant, but if new rules are adopted by the federal government, his farm will begin taking the steps to comply with them.
The rules focus on making sure workers who handle food properly wash their hands, keeping animals from growing fields and sanitizing equipment and tools.
In 2011, the deaths of a Genesee County person and another from Livingston County were linked to tainted cantaloupe.
The sweeping rule changes come in the wake of deadly food related outbreaks in leafy greens, peanuts and cantaloupe.
“We’re kind of all in this together so certainly when you see an instance with an outbreak obviously it’s something we’re very aware of and concerned about,” said Beyler.
Once new rules are finalized most large farms will have 26 months to be in compliance, small farms would have more time to comply.
