History of Freshcare

Like so many of Australia’s fresh produce industry success stories, the Freshcare Program had humble beginnings.

Freshcare is the name for the horticultural industry owned, not-for-profit, on-farm assurance program, established in the year 2000 to service the needs of the Australian industry.

Freshcare’s practical approach to helping growers and packers assure customers that their produce is fresh and safe has seen over 7,500 horticultural businesses adopt the program since its beginning.

The foundation of the Freshcare Program has always been the user-friendly Codes of Practice and training support materials. Already Australia’s largest on-farm assurance program, new developments in 2015 and beyond will ensure it continues to grow.

2017 – Freshcare eLearning

The development of the Freshcare eLearning platform now provides remote access to training for growers who are unable to participate in group or one-on-one training with…

2016 – New Codes Launched

When the Freshcare Food Safety & Quality and Environmental Code reviews were initiated in 2014, the intention was to simply update content in response to…

2016 – JAS-ANZ Accreditation

In February 2016, the Freshcare Food Safety & Quality Standard was approved as an accredited standard by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New…

2015 – Code Reviews in Progress

Works in progress… Freshcare Food Safety and Quality – 4th Edition The Food Safety & Quality 3rd Edition Code is under review in 2015 and will…

2015 – Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety

The Fresh Produce Safety Centre launched the Guidelines for On-Farm Food Safety for Fresh Produce in September 2015. First published in 2001 and revised in…

2015 – Freshcare Forum

Amidst a week of the wildest weather Sydney has seen in decades, 95 industry stakeholders, including primary producers, industry representatives, trainers, auditors, retailers, wholesalers, research…

2014 – Freshcare Online Training Development

Consultation with industry throughout 2014, determined that a practical, user friendly, remote-learning option would be a key component of future Freshcare training. Following a lengthy…

2014 – Guidelines for Environmental Assurance – Second Edition

The second edition Guidelines for Environmental Assurance Guidelines funded by HIA (previously HAL) through its across-industry program, were launched in June 2014, following an extensive…

2014 – Freshcare Food Safety and Quality Code review

In order for the Freshcare Food Safety & Quality Code to maintain its position as a widely accepted on-farm certification, a regular code review process…

2014 – Fresh Produce Safety Centre

Fresh Produce Safety Centre The Fresh Produce Safety Centre Ltd (FPSC) has been established by the Produce Marketing Association Australia-New Zealand (PMA A-NZ) through a project…

2011 – Freshcare Environmental – 2nd Edition

The Freshcare Environmental 2nd Edition Code of Practice was launched in April 2011 after an extensive twelve month review in consultation with Freshcare growers, trainers,…

2009 – Freshcare Environmental for the Australian Wine Industry

In early 2009, the Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA) approached Freshcare as it was looking for an environmental system applicable to industry that could underpin…

2008 – OH&S and Biosecurity Codes

Freshcare Members have recognised that growers may also need other programs and in 2008, Freshcare initiated the process for drafting a Freshcare Code of Practice…

2008 – Freshcare Food Safety and Quality Code – 3rd Edition

By the time of the 2008 review of the Food Safety and Quality Code, a number of domestic and international food safety outbreaks in fresh…

2006 – Freshcare Environmental Code – 1st Edition

Publication of the Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture in April 2006 was closely followed by the publication of the ‘Freshcare Code of Practice…

2004 – Freshcare Environmental Code Development

Around the same time as Food Safety & Quality 2nd Edition Code was released in 2004, Horticulture Australia Limited (now Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA)) initiated…

2004 – Freshcare Food Safety & Quality Code – 2nd Edition

By 2004 nearly 3000 growers had joined the Freshcare program. The Freshcare Food Safety & Quality Code of Practice was revised in 2004 and the…

2000 – Freshcare Food Safety & Quality Code – 1st Edition

To ensure the 1st Edition of the Freshcare Food Safety & Quality Code of Practice was appropriate and achievable, it was widely distributed in draft…

2000 – Freshcare Establishment

Freshcare Ltd was established as a not-for-profit industry organisation to drive the development of the new auditable code of practice and to manage the program….

The 90’s – Freshcare Development

Freshcare was the natural successor to the many “Approved Supplier Programs” that were developed in the 1990s. At this time many customers such as retailers,…

The 90’s – Approved Supplier Guide

In response, a National Quality Management Working Group was established in 1998 by the Horticultural Research and Development Corporation (HRDC, now Horticulture Australia Limited, HAL)…