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The purpose of this paper is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of farmers regarding the on-farm food safety measures in the commercial layer farms in Thailand prior the implementation of the mandatory Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standard.

The cross-sectional study was conducted through the face-to-face interview with a questionnaire in 143 GAP certified and 59 non-GAP certified farms. The levels of safety and quality measures implemented in farms were evaluated using a self-reported approach. Scoring system was applied to investigate the relationship between level of practices and its determining factors using the correlation test.

The layer hen farmers appeared to have an adequate level of knowledge on safety and quality measures; however, some misconception on recommended practices was still observed. The significant differences (p<0.001) in the regularity of practices adopted in farms were noticed between GAP and non-GAP groups. The GAP farmers have higher level of knowledge, and positive attitudes toward implementation. Only the weak positive relationships were found between all KAP variables which implied that there are other factors influencing the translation of knowledge and favorable attitudes into practices.

None of the on-farm food safety KAP report has been published in Thailand. This study highlights the gaps in the practices and issues needed to be focused by standard promoters for developing the knowledge translation programs aimed at enhancing the standard of layer farming.

Safe food from animal origins rely on preventive measures adopted at the farm level. However, farmers' awareness on the food safety risk is limited, affecting their on-farm activities. Thus, this study was conducted to assess and compare the farmers' perceptions on food safety issues and risks caused by the management and practices at layer farms.

Farmers from 143 farms certified by National Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standard and 59 non-GAP farms were interviewed using a structured questionnaire for risk perception evaluation. Their level of perceived risk was compared using a scoring system.

The food safety hazards in eggs seem to be fairly recognized by both groups of farmers. GAP farmers demonstrated a higher risk of food safety incidences caused by inappropriate management and practices in farms than non-GAP farmers (p < 0.001). Although the results did not confirm the strong connection between risk perception and risk reduction behavior, these findings are beneficial to the food safety policy implementers to evaluate the critical issues for risk communication and for knowledge dissemination activities. The influence of other internal and external factors on farmers' food safety-related behavior should be further investigated.

The impact limitation was identified due to the restriction of scope on a specific population and region. The target respondents did not cover all scales, especially the backyard and smallholder farmers nor other rearing systems, such as free-range productions.

The knowledge regarding the food safety practices by egg producing farmers in Thailand is limited. Notably, this study contributes to the literature in elucidating the preventive behavior of food handlers and all stakeholders in the Thai food supply chain. The implementations of food safety preventive measures by two groups of farmers, GAP-certified and non-GAP-certified farmers, will guide policymakers to intervene more successfully regarding the appropriate changes needed.

This paper is intended to be the first in a series addressing food safety in the fresh produce chain, with particular emphasis on the contributing factors that lead to farm‐based safety breakdowns.

A desktop study of recent outbreaks and recalls that have occurred in the USA and EU was undertaken with a view to determining the produce items implicated and factors causing the emergence of outbreaks. The question “A call for HACCP on farms?” is explored.

Minimally processed fresh‐cut produce represents a particular challenge to food safety. The research has highlighted the need to mitigate risk at all stages but with specific emphasis at the pre‐farm gate stage. A more comprehensive and integrated approach to risk management is arguably needed. A call for HACCP on the farm or farm food safety management system may be warranted in future if fresh produce outbreaks continue to rise. However, further research is needed to establish the guidelines of HACCP adoption at the farm level. At present, the rigorous adoption of GAP as a pre‐requisite and the practice of HACCP‐based plans is a good indicator of the importance of pre‐harvest safety.

This paper is of government (policy), industrial (application) and academic concerns value.

Ensuring continued compliance with food safety legislation and market requirements is critical to the fresh produce industry. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how a pre‐requisite programme (PRP) and key performance indicators (KPI) for food safety can be developed for the production of fresh produce, in both low input and high input supply chains.

The first stage of the research involved an examination of literature, which was conducted using desk research. The second stage includes a review of food safety management systems (FSMS) in fresh produce supply and the development of a PRP/KPI framework.

Farm assurance is well developed in the high input food supply chain for multiple retail customers. However, low input systems such as organic production, or conventional sources are often non‐assured, and supply wholesale retail and food service markets. Recent food safety incidents such as the E. coli outbreak in Germany have demonstrated that universally an effective FSMS is critical to ensure that produce is safe and wholesome and is not the cause of a food safety outbreak.

This study is of benefit to the produce industry and those in the food supply chain in the further development of quality assurance (QA) standards and business improvement models.

Ensuring compliance with food safety legislation and market requirements is one of the key issues facing the poultry meat industry. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how a pre‐requisite programme (PRP) and key performance indicators for food safety can be developed in the poultry meat supply chain.

The first stage of the research involved an examination of literature, which was conducted using desk research. The second stage includes a discussion on food safety management systems in primary production and the development of food safety plans with an associated PRP.

Effective food safety management systems in primary production are critical to supplying food which is safe and wholesome. In order to manage food safety effectively measurable indicators of performance should be developed. These will provide data on the suitability of the food for sale, the effectiveness of the food safety management system and any potential areas of weakness which in turn will drive continuous improvement.

This study is of benefit to the broiler industry in the further development of quality assurance standards and business improvement models.

New Zealand and Australian agri-food industries are being restructured both as a consequence of the extension of neoliberal policy settings and as a result of the increasing influence of the global supermarket sector. In the EU, supermarkets have sought to standardise and harmonise compliance, with their influence being felt well beyond European boundaries. EurepGAP (a European standard for ‘Good Agricultural Practices’) is an example of an emerging ‘audit culture’ where strict adherence to set rules of operation emerges as the basis for accreditation of goods and services. It represents the trend towards private sector standardization and assurance schemes, and provides an example of the growing importance of the supermarket sector in sanctioning the on-ground activities that occur in the production and processing of farm-derived outputs.

This chapter highlights the influence of EurepGAP protocols in the reorganisation of the agri-food industries of New Zealand and Australia. It argues that – for industries such as vegetable and fruit production, where Europe is the final destination – compliance with EurepGAP standards has largely become essential. In this sense, EurepGAP has emerged as the standard among producers who wish to export their products. The chapter concludes with an assessment of EurepGAP as a form of global agri-food governance that demonstrates a strong relationship between new audit cultures and neoliberal forms of trade regulation. In both Australia and New Zealand, some production sectors have rapidly adopted EurepGAP – despite extra costs, reduced choices over crop management and a lingering sense of resentment at the internal imposition of yet another production audit – primarily as a solution to the politics of risk in the context of high levels of exposure to market requirements under neoliberalism. The implications of this for Antipodean farming are considered in detail.

A highly‐fragmented UK beef industry today faces large, powerful retailers, potentially giving rise to mistrust and lack of common purpose. Consumer confidence in beef has been undermined by BSE and similar crises. The beef supply chain has responded with a number of initiatives designed to improve the quality and marketing of the product, and Government has put in place risk management controls. This paper uses ISO 9001:2000 as an audit frame to assess quality assurance for beef in Scotland, focusing specifically on supply chain integration and integrity of product specification. Identification of responsibilities for quality within the chain, standard setting and audit are also highlighted.

The authors review the small but growing literature linking cognitive biases to food safety problems and foodborne illness outbreaks.

The authors conducted a search of peer-reviewed articles utilizing empirical methods published since the year 2000 focusing on food safety or foodborne illnesses/outbreaks and cognitive biases.

The authors find that most research is conducted at the consumer side of the food system, with few studies examining the potential problems that can arise in the production and processing of food. The authors also observe that most research tends to focus on a few cognitive biases.

This is the most comprehensive study to date examining insights from the literature on cognitive biases and the related discipline of behavioral economics to the specific problem of foodborne illness outbreaks and food safety problems.