Overlaid against the foundation food safety components are Good Agricultural Practices. In their simplest form, GAP’s are simply a collection of best practices or guiding principles designed to reduce the risk that the fresh produce will become microbially compromised during growth, harvesting, packing, cooling, storage, or distribution.

Since 1998, NewStar has implemented a complete field GAP program that meets and exceeds government standards. We are in collaboration with our growers and harvesters, hosting seasonal grower meetings and routine harvest training. Our continuous, unannounced audits are comprehensive, and include ranch audits as well as harvest crew audits. We are a signatory of both the California and Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA), which are voluntary, industry driven field food safety programs designed to establish and enhance growing and harvesting practices.

Since 1998, NewStar has implemented a complete Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) based processing program that meets and exceeds government standards. Strong foundation programs (GMP, SOP, SSOP, training, traceback/recall, maintenance, microbiology, etc.) are clearly defined and reviewed/updated annually. Our continuous audits are unnanounced and comprehensive, and include daily audits (Quality Assurance Staff), monthly audits (Food Safety Committee), and seasonal audits (Primus, FDA, DHS, Army, etc.). We are also certified Organic and Kosher.