Hawaiʻi Education Department to use USDA food safety standards for produce suppliers next year

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education announced Friday it is updating its school meal program starting in the 2025-26 school year to ensure that students receive consistently high quality and safe meals.

On July 1, 2025, the department will begin implementing the USDA’s Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices  GAP Plus+ standards or the USDA’s GroupGAP Food Safety Program for all vendors providing raw or lightly processed produce. 

The department is partnering with the Farm Bureau and the Department of Agriculture, which are providing local farmers with support to attain the GAP certification.

“All of us working together ensures that we’re able to provide for our students healthy, nutritious, great tasting meals that students will enjoy,” Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a news release.

What this new standard means for students and families, according to the Department of Education:

• Healthier meals: Starting in the 2025-26 school year, all farms that supply produce to the department will need to be GAP certified. This certification is a mark of excellence in food safety, meaning that the produce served in schools will be sourced from farms adhering to the highest agricultural standards.
• Consistent quality: By partnering with GAP-certified farms, the department will provide meals that are safer and consistent in quality, ensuring that students receive nutritious and reliable food.
• Streamlined food safety: The adoption of these standards will simplify and improve the department’s food safety protocols, making the processes for procurement and handling more efficient and secure.

The department will be collaborating closely with its suppliers as they go through the GAP-certified audit process to ensure a smooth transition to the new standards. Food safety certification will be defined as the completion of a GAP audit by a USDA qualified inspector, with a favorable report and score. Vendors will need to schedule audits annually to maintain eligibility.