Hi all,
First off let me say how happy I am to have found this website and forum! It has helped me out so much on this new journey.
My father owns a small (15 employees at the most) pet treat manufacturing business. We have always been relatively small and so have our customers. Well, a big opportunity came from a customer and started throwing around GFSI certification, and as much as I hate to say it, we had no idea what he was talking about. So the last few months I have been taking classes and got PCQI certified to hopefully be able to help my dad out. I have purchased the scheme... but here is the problem I for the life of me do not understand the lingo. Does everything need to be in one big book or manual? We cannot afford to pay a company to come out and do it for us. We pass all of our state and FDA audits. Is there a step by step guide somewhere? Also, just any tips, research papers, templates. Seriously anything! I have purchased multiple "implementation" books for hundreds and it goes over my head as far as how should I document and do all the documents need to be in one big book?
We are literally starting from the bottom and any help or advice is so appreciated.
Also can I use an ATP surface test for our environmental program? I read a paper that it doesn't test for Salmonella and listeria which is what the customer is asking for, but we do send finished product to the lab to be tested, which I know is just a needle in a haystack but would the both of them together be good? We have never had a recall in our 12 years and we just need to know where to start with the process.
I have done a risk assessment and I will attach so if it is wrong please tell me. Thank you so much for your time.