Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP)

1. identifying any hazards
2. identifying any points where it is important to take particular care
3. working out how to deal with the hazards and points where particular care is important
4. documenting this
5. Then taking action on the results of the analysis.
6. Then the lessons learned in the process need to be used to improve it.

• chemical overspray from a neighbor
• injury from dangerous machinery, animals or situations
• poor management of livestock leading to high worm burdens and high levels of pasture contamination with infective worm larvae etc.

• when grading fruit ensuring that you remove any fruit that have bruises so they don't become infected in transit
• removing all synthetic materials immediately they are finished with on a merino wool farm minimizes the possibility of contamination of a high-quality product that could lead to problems when the resulting fabric is dyed. Suitable control points to monitor and manage might include:
  • every time a fertilizer bag is opened
  • all operations to do with garbage, rubbish or recycling materials
  • buying only nylon or other non-contaminating woolpacks.
• ensuring on a mixed farm that eggs (which pass through the cloaca where manure also passes) are kept separate from vegetables at all stages, particularly at grading and packing. This minimizes the possibility of contamination of salad and any other fruit or vegetable, particularly those that are eaten raw.
• buying only bulls that are free of the genes for horns to minimize the amount of bruising in this and future generations.