Food Safety on the Small Farm: from Field to Market

1. Food Safety on the Small Farm: from Field to Market

2. Foodborne Illness in the U.S. • 76 million cases of foodborne illness per year in U.S. • 13% of all foodborne illness is from fresh fruits and vegetables • The number of people affected by a produce related outbreak is greater than the number affected by a poultry, beef, eggs, or seafood case.

3. Produce Related Foodborne Illness is Increasing. Why? • Americans eat more fruits and vegetables than ever before • 2x more than 50 years ago • Produce is often eaten raw -- no kill step • Washing cannot remove all pathogens • water cannot remove all pathogens • Nature of fruit and vegetable production • close to the ground • usually handled by several people from production through packaging • water required through production - packaging

4. Important Recent Cases • 2006 - E. coli on spinach • 2006 - E. coli on leafy greens • 2008 - Salmonella on tomatoes, peppers • Led to increased focus on PREVENTION by large scale producers, packers and processors • Auditing programs, such as Good Ag Practices (GAPs), are being adopted to reduce the potential for contamination • Not mandatory, (at this time) • New food safety bills may impact small farms • H.R. 2749 Food safety enhancement act, passed 2009 • S. 510 Food safety modernization act, waiting

5. Food Safety on the Farm • Not all microorganisms are pathogenic, most are benign • Goal is not a ‘sterile’ environment • Contamination can occur throughout production, harvest, post-harvest, transportation, and marketplace • Goal is to reduce the risk of contaminating produce with good production and handling practices • Focus on areas in which you are in control to reduce risk on your farm

6. Potential Sources of In-Field Contamination • Greatest areas of concern: • Fertilizer: manure, compost & biosolids (not allowed in organic) • Irrigation water • Employees (including self) - hygiene & health • But also: • Animals/wildlife in field • Chemicals & pesticides • Raw sewage contamination • Land/soil - flood zones are a greater microbial • Harvesting bins and equipment

7. Reducing Risk, in-Field • Raw manure • 120 day window between application and harvest (required for NOP) for crops that come in direct contact with soil or • 90 days for crops that do not come into contact with soil • Keep records/documentation!

8. Reducing Risk, Manure • Incorporate manure into soil • Do not store manure/compost near production or post harvest areas, where it can wash onto fields or be walked through • Crop specific: avoid applying to crops that can easily come in contact with soil (root crops or leafy greens) • Apply to cover crop, incorporate cover crop for added fertility

9. Reducing Risk, in-Field • Compost must be properly composted based on NOP regulations: • C:N ratio of 15:1 to 60:1 • Minimum of 131F for minimum of 3 days • Pile/windrow must be turned so that that all materials reach temp • Must be cured or aged

10. Reducing Risk, in Field, cont. • Irrigation water – what is your source? • Drip irrigation is best • reduces splashing of soil/microorganisms onto crop, decrease disease pressure for plants, less evaporation • For overhead irrigation, use potable water • If water comes into contact with edible portion, you know it’s safe • Test: bi-annually for well water and quarterly for surface water sources • www.epa.gov/safewater/labs/index.htm • keep records

11. Reducing Risk, in Field, cont. • Know potential for animal confinement contamination (neighbors) • Human hygiene & health • accessible bathrooms - clean & sanitary, hand washing available - also important for U-Pick • do not allow sick employees to handle produce – change responsibilities • employee training, education – develop a handbook for reference

12. Reducing Risk, in Field, cont. • Clean & sanitize harvest bins, tools, knives before & after use • all sanitizing chemicals must be NOP approved if certified organic • Exclude animals from production area

13. Potential Sources of Post-Harvest Contamination • Employee health and sanitation • Contaminated rinse water • Improperly working refrigeration unit • Animals/wildlife/pests • Unsanitary surfaces in contact with produce • Where do you put your clean produce?

14. Reducing Risk, Post-harvest • HANDS!! - clean hands are very important when handling harvested produce • accessible hand washing area w/ soap & single use towels • Clean work clothes - aprons, (clean) gloves if needed • Provide First-Aid station • Do not allow sick persons to handle produce • Change responsibilities

15. Reducing Risk, Post-harvest, cont. • Clean & sanitize processing and packing area before and after use, such as counter top, harvest bins, etc • Prevent any animals/pets/rodents/wildlife from entering packing area • Monitor rinse water, if rinsing - change when dirty, use approved sanitizers/disinfectants in produce wash water

16. Reducing Risk, Post-harvest, cont. • Quickly cool produce to minimize microbial growth • Make sure cooler is clean, sanitized and working reliably • Improperly working cooler provides environment for microbes (both pathogenic and spoilage) to multiply • If using ice, ensure it is made from potable water

17. Reducing Risk, Post-harvest, cont. • Transport in clean truck/refrigerator truck/ car • For added traceability, use a traceback system where produce can be track back to the field and harvest date

18. NOP Approved Sanitizers & Disinfectants, Chlorine • Chlorine: approved as an algicide, disinfectant, & sanitizer • Most effective at pH of 6.0-7.0 • Becomes “tied” up and ineffective with contact to soil and organic matter • use rinse steps first • Residual chlorine at discharge must be no greater than 4 ppm chlorine (EPA drinking water standard) • can start at higher levels than 4ppm, but must end with ≤ 4ppm • Inexpensive, but has potential harmful by-products including bromate, chlorite, etc

19. NOP Approved Sanitizers & Disinfectants, Ozone & PPA • Ozone • quick acting, effective as chlorine • attacks viruses, bacterial cell walls and spores • fewer harmful by-products than chlorine • must have an ozone generating machine on hand, must replenish water often • Peracetic Acid (Peroxyacetic Acid), PPA • effective as chlorine and ozone • can be used up to 80 ppm in wash water • produce must be rinsed afterwards • Others are allowed, check certifier • ethyl & isopropyl alcohol, ammonium sanitizers, detergents allowed with stipulations

20. Other Resources • Food Safety Begins on the Farm: A Growers Guide • http://www.gaps.cornell.edu/FSBFEng.html • www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/docs/foodsafety.html • National GAP Program, Cornell, www.gaps.cornell.edu/ • NC MarketReady, www.ncmarketready.org • Good Agricultural Practices A Self-Audit for Growers and Handlers, http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/5453/4362.pdf

21. Other Resources • http://www.FoodSafety.gov/ • Web resources for small farm post harvest handling, www.cefs.ncsu.edu/resources/sfpostharvesthandling.pdf • Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/.../UCM169112.pdf

22. References • Pollack, S. 2001. Consumer Demand for Fruit and Vegetables: The U.S. Example. In Changing Structure of Global Food Consumption and Trade, May 2001. www.ers.usda.gov/publications/wrs011/wrs011h.pdf • Food and Water Watch. The poisoned fruit of the American trade policy. 2008. www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/imports/the-poisoned-fruit-of-american-trade-policy • Center for Science in the Public Interest, Outbreak Alert!, December 2008. cspinet.org/new/pdf/outbreak_alert_2008_report_final.pdf • Silva, E. 2008. Approved chemicals for use in organic postharvest systems In Wholesale success: a farmer's guide to selling, postharvest handling, and packing produce (Midwest edition). http://www.familyfarmed.org/retail.html • http://www.extension.org/article/18355 • Food Safety Begins On-the-Farm Brochure, http://www.gaps.cornell.edu • Production and Postharvest On-Farm Food Safety Self Audit and Resource CD-ROM http://vric.ucdavis.edu

23. Acknowledgements This presentation address general organic production practices. It is to be to use in planning and conducting organic horticulture trainings. The presentation is part of project funded by a Southern SARE PDP titled “Building Organic Agriculture Extension Training Capacity in the Southeast” Project Collaborators • Elena Garcia, University of Arkansas CESHeather Friedrich, University of ArkansasObadiah Njue, University of Arkansas at Pine BluffJeanine Davis, North Carolina State UniversityGeoff Zehnder, Clemson UniversityCharles Mitchell, Auburn UniversityRufina Ward, Alabama A&M UniversityKen Ward, Alabama A&M UniversityKaren Wynne, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network