Farmers supplying the School Lunch Program must schedule inspections with DOA

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Department of Agriculture (ASDOA) is reminding all farmers participating in the American Samoa Department of Education (ASDOE) School Lunch Program (SLP) to schedule farm compliance inspections with the Department for the upcoming 2025 – 2026 school year.

ASDOE recently announced that the SLP will not accept any local produce until all farms supplying local produce meet SLP requirements. Included on the list of requirements is a Certificate of Compliance (COC) and the completion of fertilizer training from the ASDOA. Unlike the existing COC and farm compliance inspection process, fertilizer training conducted by ASDOA is a new addition requested by the American Samoa Department of Health for farms to receive a health permit.

These farm compliance inspections ensure compliance with produce safety standards. ASDOA Inspectors visit farms to assess on-farm produce safety standards such as crop health, the sanitation and cleanliness of the growing field and facilities, pesticide and fertilizer use and storage, and produce handling and storage procedures. If a farm does not meet ASDOA’s produce safety standards, ASDOA will provide guidance on corrective actions and reschedule a follow-up inspection once the necessary changes have been made.

Successful completion of a farm inspection will result in the issuance of a Certificate of Compliance from the ASDOA. The COC is an annual quality assurance certificate that serves as official documentation that the farm has met all produce safety standards set forth by the ASDOA. To accommodate the immediate training need, ASDOA will include a brief fertilizer training as part of the COC process for now and develop a full-fledged training in the future.

The ASDOA is actively contacting farmers who have been identified as SLP suppliers to coordinate inspections. However, farmers are strongly encouraged to be proactive and schedule as soon as possible to avoid potential delays that could impact their ability to supply schools when the new school year begins.

“Following produce safety standards on farms ensures our people, especially our children, are receiving safe food to eat,” said Daniel Helsham, the Director of the American Samoa Department of Agriculture. “Through this quality assurance process, ASDOA and local farmers contribute to safeguarding the health of future generations and building trust in our local food supply.”

To schedule a farm inspection, farmers must:

Contact the American Samoa Department of Agriculture’s Extension Division at 699-9272.

Provide the farm name, location, primary contact information, and a list of produce intended for SLP.

Have a current business license available for verification.

Be prepared for an on-site inspection of farm operations.

Farms that do not complete inspections will remain ineligible to participate in the ASDOE SLP until full compliance is verified. ASDOA also encourages the community to please contact the Department if they suspect any farms are conducting unsafe farming practices.