One Last Hurrah: End-of-Season Cleaning and Sanitizing of Harvest Tools
Late-season is a busy time on the farm. When the final crops come in it can be tempting to give harvest tools and equipment a quick cleaning, put them on a shelf, and move on to the next task. However, knives, pruners, clippers, harvest bins, picking tools, and other equipment that comes into contact with produce can benefit from one last thorough cleaning. A final cleaning allows you to remove accumulated soil, plant material, sap, grease, and other foreign matter before tools go into storage. Starting the next season with clean tools means one less task to complete when there are already plenty of other things competing for your attention.
Inspecting Tools
Before cleaning, take some time to inspect all your harvest tools. During the inspection look for:
Soil, plant material, sap, and other debris
Cracked, damaged, or loose components
Damaged surfaces
This also creates an opportunity to take inventory and note what harvest tools and equipment need to be repaired or replaced before the next season. Finding these needs now will allow you to address them before the high-pace of next harvest season arrives.
Cleaning and Sanitizing of Harvest Equipment
End-of-season cleaning and sanitizing can follow the same four-step process used during harvest season. As a refresher, the four-step cleaning and sanitizing process is:
Remove dirt and debris
Remove excess soil, plant material, and other visible debris from the tool.
Wash
Wash the tool using an appropriate detergent or cleaning solution and water. Pay particular attention to hinges, joints, blade edges, handles, and other areas where organic matter can hide.
Rinse
Rinse away detergent and loosened material according to the cleaning procedure being used.
Sanitize
Apply an appropriate sanitizer according to the product label. Always use a sanitizer labeled for use on food contact surfaces and follow the label instructions.
Remember that you can not sanitize a dirty surface, cleaning must come first. Cleaning removes soil and organic matter; sanitizing is intended to reduce microorganisms not remove all microorganisms present.
Choosing a sanitizer
There are many sanitizer options available for use on farms, and choosing among them can sometimes feel overwhelming. If you are new to sanitizing tools and equipment, start by choosing a product that is appropriate for your intended use and carefully learn how to use it. The most important thing is not simply which sanitizer you choose, but whether you are using a product according to its label.
Storing harvest tools and equipment
Once tools are clean, sanitized, and completely dry, think about how they will be stored. Store tools in a clean, dry location where they will be protected from contamination, damage, and pests. Avoid placing tools directly onto dirty surfaces or in areas of high pest activity that could recontaminate them while they are in storage.
Write it down
Depending on where your farm falls under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, audit requirements, or other programs, documentation of this final cleaning and sanitizing activity may be required. It is a good idea for all growers to document this final cleaning as it creates a useful record that yes, this task was completed before tools and equipment were placed in storage for the year.
One last clean
The end of the season is a natural stopping point but it also creates an opportunity to plan for the season ahead. Taking the time now to thoroughly clean, sanitize, inspect, and property store harvest tools means you are starting next year without this year’s dirt, grease, and plant material on your tools right when you need them. It gives you a chance to identify tools that need repair or replacement and complete any necessary records. So before you put away the harvest tools, bins, and equipment for next year, give them one last clean. For more information or to connect to on-farm assistance on implementing an end-of-season cleaning and sanitizing process visit miofps.org.
