Home Farm Nacton

Packing requirements for direct supply to local multiple retailers

Packhouse Checklist
• Packhouse Site - Chitting Shed
• Additional Required - Small shed or
portacabin inside chitting shed for
records and label printing
• Packing area design
• Cool chain and field heat remove design
• Packing line design
• Box design - artwork - printing
• Packaging - netting - item labels - box
labels
• Pallet stacking and strapping system
• Packing costing system
• Labour recording
• QA policy
• QC system
• Shelf life samples. Fridge for samples -
system
Netting machine
Approx cost new £6500: cuts net, seals net, attaches “wine glass” label.
Also requires small air compressor (£300), label applicator, new turntable (about £2000).
Printer about £300 plus computer and software to drive it. Price as yet unknown.
Cost of netting should be about 2p per unit inc label. 2 colour print on label.
Cotton should take 3 kg. Can be any colour - suggest black.
Should be able to do at least 10 packs per minute – 600 packs per hour.

Second hand collating tables and conveyors can be found.

Suggest after looking at potential sales volumes decide on the purchase of one or two
packing lines.
Consider how to work Organic and Leaf product lines. Have to clean down Leaf before
packing Organic. That may take up too much time. Partition required between Leaf and
Organic packing lines. Orange plastic netting will do.
Costing matrix
Packhouse crop costing example
This matrix can be used to check the costs, selling price and profitability of each crop.
Crop Cabbage
Input Costs in red and bold
Item
Cost per Item into
Packhouse £0.35000 Item Count per Box 12

Packhouse Costs Total Box Cost per Unit £0.09

Packhouse Overhead £0.10000 Total Box Cost per Box £1.06300
Specific Machine Overhead £0.10000 Total Box Cost + Product £1.41300
Total Cost per Item £0.20000

Item Cost
Weigh £0.00500
Inspect £0.00300
Total Cost per Item £0.00800

Lable
Lable £0.01000
Lable Overhead £0.00500
Print Cost £0.01000
Total Cost per Item £0.02500

Box
Cost per Outer £0.70000
Box Lable Cost £0.01000
Cost to Fill Box £0.10000
Outer Lable Cost £0.02000
Total Cost £0.83000
Waitrose local pack examples
New produce box with branding
Note: recommend timing use of self-erect boxes in order to get a more accurate idea of
the true cost.

Mondi
Diecut Produce Tray
Size: 600 x 400 x 180mm
Single Wall BROWN Board: 200kraft / B flute / 200kraft
Prices are:
• 2 colour 10,000 @ £490.00 per 1000
• 2 colour 20,000 @ £480.00 per 1000
• 3 colour 10,000 @ £550.00 per 1000
• 3 colour 20,000 @ £540.00 per 1000
Diecut Produce Tray
Size: 600 x 400 x 180mm
Single Wall WHITE Board: 200White kraft / B flute / 200kraft
Prices are:
• 2 colour 10,000 @ £610.00 per 1000
• 2 colour 20,000 @ £590.00 per 1000
• 3 colour 10,000 @ £660.00 per 1000
• 3 colour 20,000 @ £640.00 per 1000

Bickerstaffe
General produce tray - used for double layer cabbages and cauliflowers as well as kale
5000 boxes printed in two colours and delivered to Nacton: £630 per 1000
The stereo (for the print job) would cost £350 to set up
Lead time: Maximum of 5 days from receipt of our art work to dispatch.
Awaiting nets for other sizes including shallower pop-up boxes
Quality control

Technical requirements for produce and vegetable production and

field operations
Draft guildelines for Home Farm Nacton (HFN) management of field operations.

Packaging
Produce and vegetables must only be harvested into packaging of a type that has been
previously agreed with the Customer.
All packaging will be stored in a bird and rodent proof facility, that is subject to rodent
control measures which include adequate proofing around and under doors, under eaves
etc.
HFN shall either contract the services of a competent pest control organization, or shall
have trained personnel, for the regular inspection and treatment of premises to deter and
eradicate infestation. The following guidelines shall be followed:
• A professional pest control contractor is employed, and the service contract shall be
clearly defined and reflect the activities of the site. A copy of the contract will be
available to customers.
• Service technicians will be suitably trained and qualified in all aspects of pest control
they are required to undertake.
• HFN will ensure that their pest control operation and pesticides used comply with any
relevant national legislation and Codes of Practice issued by trade organizations.
• Data sheets are kept for all pesticides used so they can be referred to in the unlikely
case of product contamination. These sheets are available to customers.
• Detailed records of the pest control inspections, recommendations and necessary
action undertaken shall be kept.
• It is the HFN responsibility to review and respond positively to recommendations made
by the contractor and any corrective action will be formally documented.
• When in the field, packaging should be kept off the ground on, for example, a wooden
pallet. Packaging will not be kept in the field over night.

Toilet facilities
• Hygiene is paramount in the harvesting of soft produce, as many consumers may not
wash the produce and vegetables before consumption.
• Therefore, field toilets (usually mobile units) must be available within a reasonable
walking distance of pickers. If picking gangs are moved to a field that is beyond a
reasonable walking distance from the toilet, then the toilet will be moved closer.
• All toilets will be equipped with toilet paper, non-perfumed anti-bacterial soap, clean
water and either paper towels or air dryers.
• All toilets will be kept in a clean and tidy condition, and toilet paper, soap and towel
stocks must be replenished as often as necessary.
• A nominated member of staff, preferably the field supervisor, will be responsible for
 checking the toilets every morning to ensure they are in a clean and usable condition.

Harvest equipment hygiene

• Field harvesting trays will be kept in a good condition and reasonably clean at all times.
• Harvesting trays will be stored under cover to keep them clean and dry.
• Harvest trays will be stored separately from potential contaminants such as fertilisers or
pesticides.
• In addition, no eating is allowed in harvest trays storage areas as this presents a
contamination risk.
• Trays will be cleaned regularly to ensure that no dirt or debris accumulates on them.

Field personnel hygiene

• All field personnel, including pickers, supervisors, quality controllers and visitors must
follow the hygiene regulations and an agreement to comply with HFN working practices,
the ‘Field personnel hygiene’ letter must be signed by all staff before starting work.

Knife control
• Knives are properly controlled to avoid the possibility that a knife could be lost in
product supplied to a customer.
• To avoid this possibility, all knives must be numbered in a permanent manner i.e.
permanent marker or engraved.
• Every knife issued must be recorded daily along with the name of the person to whom
the knife was issued, and the person returning the knife to stock at the end of the shift.
This information must be recorded on the ‘Daily knife issue record’.
• If a knife is lost, all product must be isolated and nothing may be moved or out-loaded
until a thorough search is completed and the knife found. HFN technical department
must be informed immediately and if necessary the product recall procedure will be
instigated.

Picker training
All produce pickers must be properly trained to ensure that all harvested produce is of a
suitable quality and is hygienic and free of foreign bodies. To this end, the following should
be included in picker training programmes:
• All field personnel must sign the hygiene letter and comply with the requirements
contained therein.
• Pick produce only from areas as instructed by a responsible member of management,
as there is a risk that pesticide harvest intervals may not have elapsed in some fields
and so produce from those fields must not be picked.
• Customer quality standards must be met at all times. Produce must be harvested to
these standards, as it is not acceptable practice to re-grade produce in the packhouse
as this causes produce damage and additional cost.
• Please remain vigilant to ensure that harvested produce is clean and free of
 contamination, especially from insects, dirt and animal or bird droppings.

Produce storage on the farm

Sometimes it is necessary to store harvested produce on the farm before transporting to
the packhouse. In these circumstances the following should be observed:
• Harvested produce must be moved from shade into a coldstore within half an hour of
picking.
• The coldstore should be operating at a temperature sufficient for the removal of field
heat, chilling produce to a target produce temperature of 10 oC within 3 hours.
• If produce is to be held in the coldstore for longer than 6 hours, the operating
temperature should be between 2-3 oC.
• The coldstore must be rodent and bird proof, and must be maintained in a clean and
tidy condition.
Nochemicals,packaging,emptyharvesttraysorotheritemsshouldbekeptwiththe produce.

Harvest procedures
• Before harvesting begins, positive confirmation that the area to be picked is clear of all
pesticide harvest intervals is required.
• Only fully trained pickers should be allowed to pick produce, unless very closely
supervised i.e. in training.
• The ratio of supervisors and quality control staff to pickers must be sufficient to
maintain full control of picking operations at all times.
• Produce quality specifications should be available in the field at all times for reference
by supervisors and quality controllers.
• Each harvest tray must be clearly identified so that it can be traced back to the field
and the picker.
• Picked produce must be shaded within 10 minutes of filling the harvest tray.

Pesticide residue testing of produce samples

Samples of produce from all growers will be tested during the season, the frequency of
testing being determined by risk analysis.
The procedure for preparing samples and for the required form is included in the
appendix.

Associated documents
The following documents relate to the above procedures are may be found in the
appendix.
• SFC knife check
• harvesting Residue Testing Submission Form
• UK produce Residue testing procedure
• UK growers SFC field personnel hygiene
It is the aim of HFN to supply a continuity of produce of a quality and hygiene standard
that fully satisfies our customer demands; complying with all specifications and all
relevant legislation. Please read and sign this undertaking to show you have understood
this policy and the hygiene requirements detailed below and agree to comply with them:
HYGIENE POLICY - General
Please keep your working environment clean and tidy at all times; no food, drink, personal
belongings or smoking is allowed in any produce production areas, packaging stores,
produce stores or harvest tray stores.

Dress Code
Employees are expected at all times to present themselves in a clean and tidy manner
with high standards of personal hygiene.
• Nails must be short, clean and free of false fingernails and varnish
• Long hair must be neatly tied back.
• No jewellery other than plain wedding rings and sleeper earrings to be worn.

Fitness and First Aid

• Any sickness, particularly contagious or infectious diseases, gastric upsets and
diarrhoea or any skin or
sceptic condition must be reported to your supervisor.
• Before returning to work after an illness, you should obtain medical clearance from your
GP.
• A properly equipped first aid kit must be available in the field whenever produce is
being harvested.
• Any wound or sore obtained out of or during working hours must be treated and
covered with a blue plaster (or dressing) prior to starting work.
• Body piercings that cannot be removed must be covered by a blue plaster for the
duration of the working day.
• Only BLUE plasters are to be used in the production area. These will be issued by your
First Aider.
• Any lost plaster MUST be reported immediately to your supervisor / manager.

Hand washing
• You must wash your hands before commencing work, after visiting the toilet before and
after meal breaks.
I declare that I have read and understood the above and will comply with these
requirements.
SIGNED ....................................................... DATE ........................................