The document outlines the importance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in farming to enhance efficiency, consistency, and safety among employees. It details steps for developing effective SOPs, including naming them, defining their scope, and involving staff in their creation to ensure buy-in and compliance. Additionally, it emphasizes the necessity of training and the need for routine monitoring and updates to these procedures for continuous improvement.

1. Increasing Farm
efficiencies through
Standard Operating
Procedures
Michael Kilpatrick

2. WHY SOP’s?
• You need a break- you can’t be everywhere
all the time, SOP’s allow a crew to work by
themselves confidently
• People need consistency for good
performance. Not, “Is this the way that it is
going to be done today”?
• SOP’s will reduce variation, which is the
enemy of production efficiency
• SOP’s facilitate training- make sure that
nothing is missed and everyone is on the
same page from day 1

3. WHY SOP’s?
• SOP’s facilitate cross-training- an employee
can easily switch positions if someone is
sick or on vacation
• If you have involved the employees in the
development of the SOP’s they assure that
it works as it was written
• Make performance evaluations easier, there
are clear written guidelines for evaluation
standards.

4. WHY SOP’s?
• It is easier for employees to coach, train
and support each other- also, reduces hurt
feelings if there is a set standard to go back
to
• Helps keep employees safer and may
provide some legal protection if employees
get hurt
• Can decrease bio-security risk of
contamination

5. WHY SOP’s?
• Helps employees not to forget things....

6. Developing best
practices
• Study the task to be accomplished and get
crew feedback on any improvements
• Check with other farms doing similar
processes and see what their procedures
are
• Trial several ways to do a task and agree
upon one way that accomplishes goals for
safety, speed, and simplicity.

7. Six steps to developing
an SOP
1.Name the SOP with descriptive words
1.Examples: Mixing potting mix,Washing market bins
2.Write the scope for the SOP. Answer questions:
What specific operations or tasks will be covered?
Who is it written for?
1.Example: This Soil mixing SOP is used to make all
potting mix that is used in the greenhouse. It covers
what ingredients are to be used, what equipment is
involved, where the task should be performed and
cleanup and sanitation afterwards

8. STEP 3 Develop an overall task description. Include number
of people required, skill level, equipment required, description
of finished product
Example:
-mixing is done on the cement floor in the potting shed
-task should take 1 person 30 minutes
-All interns and full time employees should be trained to do this
-8 buckets of compost, 4 buckets of peat moss, 2 buckets of perlite,
and 4 cups of fertilizer are used for recipe
-tools for task include 5 gallon buckets, potting shovel, broom, and
hose
!

9. STEP 3 (page 2)
-finished product should be free from any lumps of individual
ingredients and look approximately like
!
!
!
!
!
-tip- slighly wet peat moss to keep the dust down

10. STEP 4
Describe each task in detail. Include the following:
•specific order in which task is to be done
•Timing sequences and time allowed
•How task is to be accomplished
•Safety or health considerations
!
Tip: people can’t remember more than 10-12 steps so break down
long tasks into multiple SOP’s, or write a second abbreviated
version of the SOP to be posted in the area. A detailed version can be
used for training and left in the SOP manual
!

11. STEP 4 EXAMPLE
Example:
-clean area so work can be done safely and clean
-use clean 5 gallon buckets to measure ingredients from bins along side of potting
shed
- pour all ingredients except fertilizer in a pile, alternating buckets of ingredients
to expedite mixing
- use potting shovel to mix ingredients, working around the pile throwing shovelfuls
up on top.
- fertilizer is sprinkled over top of pile and a final mix is done.
-shovel finished mix into potting mix bin, sweep area, and put away all tools.
-Safety hazards- be careful not to breath in dust of mixing soil, it can be a mild
irritant.

12. STEP 5
Trial SOP and get feedback
Successful SOP development and implementation typically
requires that all people who are affected by a SOP be involved
in a team-based SOP development and problem solving
process.
!
- Ask those who do the task regularly to provide feedback and
check to make sure that the SOP mirrors what is considered
the “best practice”
-Talk with all employees to gain agreement that the SOP is the
new best practice and expectations are appropriate and
achievable
-Inform everyone about the new written SOP
-Train everyone on the SOP’s content and location of SOP
manuals,

13. STEP 6
Monitor for SOP compliance
• Management by walking around
• As soon as SOP is written you can be
tweeking and updating it
• Check with crew frequently to see if they
have changed and improved process
• SOP’s should be reviewed on at least a
annual basis

14. Presenting the SOP
• Simple steps or checklist
• Linear flow chart
• Annotated pictures (how a work area
should be set up)
• short video

15. SOP’s for the field
• Farming has to be efficient to be profitable
• Training others in trellising, irrigation,
planting, cultivation, seeding
• Training crew on complicated harvesting
(50 plus crops)

17. Any vehicle used for farm related activities should be treated with respect and be used
in an appropriate manner. If you suspect there is something that needs to be fixed or
addressed in relation to a vehicle please let the Field Manager or Michael know
immediately.!
Here are what each vehicle should contain BEFORE taking it anywhere (On Farm or
Off)!
-A competent driver!
-First Aid Kit!
-A cell phone!
-All the necessary items you will or may need to accomplish your task (ie. bins,
harvest knives, rubberbands, other crew members, harvest sheet, various weeding
tools etc.) -Water!
If leaving the farm property you will also need a LICENSED driver with their license on
them.!
This is what needs to happen AFTER you are finished using a vehicle: -Refuel if gas
tank reads below 1/4 of a tank!
-Roll up all windows and turn off lights!
-Remove all personal items!
-Return any tools or farm items to their proper place -Leave vehicle in better condition
than you found it!
Here is the emergency protocol. In case of damage, breakdown, injury etc.!
! -Find a safe place to pull over and assess the situation!
! -If someone is injured immediatly call 911!
! -Get a hold of Michael 518-744-5448 or someone at the house 518-642-4713 !

20. Why farmer’s Markets?
double as CSA drop sites
Retail dollar
we can sell as much or as little as we wantdon’t have to have a pallet of something to
sell it
Fluidity- adapts quickly to what we need to
do

21. SOP’s for Farmer’s
Markets
• We have a very fluid market crew since we
draw from the community a lot anywhere
from 16 to 60 years old!
• We want to be able to quickly bring our
employees up to speed
• the person driving the truck may not be
the one in charge- we need to have specific,
direct instruction for everything.

25. Price List/Signs SOP’s
!
As we’ve just redone our pricing and price sign system, we thought we’d take a minute to
explain it to you all. For those of you who are working at the markets, you’ll just need to
read the first page and a half. Because the is a work in progress please fell free to give
lots of feedback to Erika and Philip (contact info below). Many thanks to those who’ve
helped with the process including Erika, Keith, and Christina.
!
Price List
We created a Google spreadsheet which is the master price list. All the pricing will now be
the same between all the markets. Crops are sorted by family and you’ll be able see the
price, what constitutes a CSA item, and seasonal info.
!
Accessing the Price List
Market workers who work frequently will be given access to the spreadsheet. We
encourage you to double check the list before your shifts. If you wish to print a pricelist for
yourself select “In Season to Print” at the bottom of the page. The sheet entitled “Print all
Prices” is a complete listing of the crops with their prices.
!

26. Arugula
Great in salads and sandwiches
$ 4.00 per bag
CSA Item is one bag

27. Beet bunches
View our Recipes
Great roasted or boiled. Green can be steamed or
sauteed.
$
CSA Item is one bunch

30. Monday SOP!
!
!
MARKET VEHICLES X 2!
Back up truck to bin washing area. Clean out all bins, tomato trays, waxed boxes of both market trucks.
As bins are removed, sort into stacks that need washed and ones that are clean enough to go back into
inventory. Check fuel levels, they should always be above a 1/4 tank. Clean out any trash in cab. Park
vehicle between transplant house and tomato house or in parking lot.!
!
BINS!
Sort all bins of those that need washed and those that don’t. Wash dirty market and harvest bins. Stack
inside. This is a 2 person job for highest efficiency. !
!
VEHICLES!
Check fuel level, check tires, clean out backs of bins, trash, etc. !
!
FUEL!
I person load up all the empty gas and diesel cans in the farm vehicle that is the lowest on gas. Take
them down to Chapmans and fill the vehicle and the cans. When you return, fill both golf carts and the
super C’s if they are less than 1/2 full and around the farm. !
!
BARREL WASHER!
Clean out soil from barrel washer tray, dump in empty field.!
!
COMPOST!
Check with Hannah to see if there is any compost to remove and where that should be taken.!

31. Thank you!!!
Michael Kilpatrick
www.michael-kilpatrick.com
www.kilpatrickfamilyfarm.com