I can't speak specifically to SQF and their requirements as we are on a different scheme. Generically however, you would need a supplier control program through which you would evaluate the risk involved in each supplier/product. Depending upon how you many sources you have, you could (again I cannot speak to SQF), organize the risk assessment by product type (aka leafy greens regardless of supplier would have a higher risk than potatoes, etc) or by supplier (farm with its own GFSI audit might be looked at differently than one without?). (Note that non-domestic suppliers add another layer of complexity to any of this.) My initial instinct would be to organize by product type, but that's without knowing any details of your facility/operation.
Some of your assessment could rely on whether and how you control the risk in your own facility (aka any measures that you take for each product to reduce pathogen risk), your cleaning in between lots, etc. As an example, we use the same processes (like product) for all products and I get (scientifically proven) 5+ log reductions in house, so I'm concerned with my supplier controls, but can afford to be less involved than what I might be with a different product.
Note that different products on the same line and via different sources increases your risk of cross contamination, so you would also look at your HACCP plan, etc. [Part of this is you understanding the risk and how to mitigate the risk (HACCP plan and supplier selection/control) and part of it is trying to reduce your liability (supplier contracts and LOAs)].
To certify each supplier, typically, you would rely on things like:
- Copies of their own GFSI audit results.
- Letters of Assurance
- Your own (documented) inspection/audit of their facilities
Nuances could include things like who is doing the farm care/harvesting. Are they all the same entity or different entities? All of them should be accounted for.
The attachment LOA example is specific to our needs, but it might be useful. We use "as applicable" in specific bullets because we have farms that we work with that we do some of the work for, but not all, etc.. Credit to OPs on the form as all I did was cut/paste/edit. I'm sure others can make it better or post their own.
Anyway, there are a lot of SQF folks here, so hopefully you get some better responses, but maybe this will help?
Anyway.... Good luck,
Todd
