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QS-Report Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes | Issue September 2018 QS-Report Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes PRODUCERS WELL POSITIONED IN TERMS OF HARVEST HYGIENE In order to increase awareness of the issue of occupa- tional hygiene management, QS started carrying out ran- dom sample audits with the focus on harvest hygiene in 2015. The results of this year‘s hygiene audits prove that QS producers are conscientiously implementing the hygiene requirements. At 27 randomly selected farms, which mainly cultivate asparagus or strawberries, audi- tors checked whether the QS hygiene requirements were being implemented, the operational hygiene instruc- tions were being followed during the harvest and that the harvest workers were receiving appropriate train- ing. The gratifying result: all audits were passed, at 17 companies without any objections (i.e. without any C or D evaluations). “The results show that hygiene is already a high priority” , stresses Dr. Annette Förschler , responsible for Production at QS. “In the hectic harvest period, however, it is easy to lose sight of the details. So we can be sure that hygiene requirements are also being implemented during the harvest, we recommend thatcompanies take all necessary steps ahead of the harvest” . Report: Böckmann Strawberries Best harvest results thanks to satisfied employees Around 140,000 tonnes of strawberries were harvested throughout Germany this year - although the strawberry farmers had to contend with prolonged high tempera- tures and exceptional dry spells this year. Nearly two thirds of the harvest is harvested in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia (30,000 tonnes), Lower Saxony (28,000 t) and Baden-Württemberg (21,500 t). One of Lower Saxony‘s largest strawberry producers, Böckmann Erdbeeren, is located in Ostercappeln near Osnabrück. Family Böckmann employs 250 staff at his company at busy times, who harvest 100 million straw- berries per season. One thing is particularly impor- tant to him: appropriate working and social conditions. For decades the Böckmanns have been producing first- class strawberries for well-known trading houses – Eu- rope-wide. The company is a family business. Farm manager Heinz Böckmann remembers : “Until 1975 my parents grew vegetables in Melle-Neuenkirchen. A year later they decided to switch to strawberries. In 1977, I set up my own business in the Osnabrück area and the first strawberry fields were created” . Since then the busi- ness has grown rapidly. “In the beginning we grew straw- berries on 5 hectares. Today it is 62 hectares” , says Böckmann proudly. His secret to success? Quality “We do not compromise on quality - we live from our customers remaining loyal to our strawberries and buying them again and again” , explains Böckmann. QS certification needs to be in place here. “With QS we have been using a recognized standard since 2005, which not only works in our favour from a marketing point of view, bualso serves as the basis for goodprofessional practice” , says Böckmann. EMPLOYEES ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET Böckmann‘s fields are harvested from May to September. First in the poly-tunnel, later in the open fields. Numerous employees and seasonal workers are involved in the harvest. All year round, a regular team makes sure the harvest is guaranteed for the following year. Practical protec- tive mechanisms such as the use of fleece and polythene covers as well as good theoretical knowledge of plant biology and meteorology are indispensable tools. In the summer months, the team is supplemented by around 400 seasonal employees who help with harvesting and logis- tics. The numerous harvest helpers are housed in a residential complex built by Böckmann in 2010. They have everything they need for their well-being - even TV channels in their mother tongues and Skype facilities to keep in touch with their families who have stayed at home. Heinz Böckmann is convinced: “No ma- chine can harvest and sort the fruits as carefully as the employees. They are our greatest asset! When you work with good, satisfied employ- ees who feel comfortable and who are properly rewarded, you achieve the best output” . Providing this care The inspection focus of the QS hygiene audits is on the implementation of operational hygiene management. In particular, it should be checked whether • the general hygiene requirements are being implemented within the operation, • the employees used for harvesting are given instructions and trained with regard to hygiene requirements, • the harvest workers correctly implement the operational hygiene instructions, • field toilets are available and are used and hand hygiene is observed.