Food safety and environmental quality impose conflicting demands on Central Coast growers

Beretti, Melanie; Stuart, Diana

doi:10.3733/ca.v062n02p68

Cited by 72 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Despite the lack of explicit regulatory language calling for its removal (4), a significant amount of the Salinas Valley's noncrop vegetation has been cleared (5). Instead, this vegetation removal likely was related in part to pressure exerted by buyers on growers through auditors to mitigate perceived food safety risks (8). Likewise, the recent Food Safety Modernization Act-the largest overhaul to food safety regulations of the past 70 y (3)-does not call for vegetation removal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the prevalence of Salmonella in fresh produce increased only marginally over the last decade, the prevalence of EHEC increased dramatically, despite significant efforts to reduce pathogen prevalence, including measures to prevent wildlife intrusions (5,8,9). We also found no evidence that any pathogen was more prevalent near nongrazed natural areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since 2006, there has been considerable tension between the need to manage produce farms to respond to concerns about conservation and the need to ensure food safety (5,8,9). Despite the lack of explicit regulatory language calling for its removal (4), a significant amount of the Salinas Valley's noncrop vegetation has been cleared (5).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the originating strain was isolated from multiple sources (6), no definitive cause of the outbreak could be determined (7); however, one identified source was feral pig feces, which contributed to strong industry and regulatory pressure on Central Coast growers to mitigate wildlife intrusion onto their farm fields. Numerous growers erected wildlife fences, deployed rodent traps, and cleared noncrop vegetation (8,9). For example, food safety interventions likely resulted in degradation or destruction of 13% of the remaining riparian vegetation along the Salinas River and its tributaries between 2005 and 2009 (5).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comanaging fresh produce for nature conservation and food safety

Karp

Gennet

Kilonzo

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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In 2006, a deadly Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak in bagged spinach was traced to California's Central Coast region, where >70% of the salad vegetables sold in the United States are produced. Although no definitive cause for the outbreak could be determined, wildlife was implicated as a disease vector. Growers were subsequently pressured to minimize the intrusion of wildlife onto their farm fields by removing surrounding noncrop vegetation. How vegetation removal actually affects foodborne pathogens remains unknown, however. We combined a fine-scale land use map with three datasets comprising ∼250,000 enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), generic E. coli, and Salmonella tests in produce, irrigation water, and rodents to quantify whether seminatural vegetation surrounding farmland is associated with foodborne pathogen prevalence in California's Central Coast region. We found that EHEC in fresh produce increased by more than an order of magnitude from 2007 to 2013, despite extensive vegetation clearing at farm field margins. Furthermore, although EHEC prevalence in produce was highest on farms near areas suitable for livestock grazing, we found no evidence of increased EHEC, generic E. coli, or Salmonella near nongrazed, seminatural areas. Rather, pathogen prevalence increased the most on farms where noncrop vegetation was removed, calling into question reforms that promote vegetation removal to improve food safety. These results suggest a path forward for comanaging fresh produce farms for food safety and environmental quality, as federal food safety reforms spread across ∼4.5 M acres of US farmland.agriculture | biodiversity | disease ecology | E. coli | foodborne pathogens

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Comanaging fresh produce for nature conservation and food safety

Karp

Gennet

Kilonzo

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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show abstract

“…Some of these species are considered pests by growers, but most are either only mildly detrimental, neutral, or even beneficial (e.g., pest management or pollination). Some growers, however, are increasingly concerned about contamination by fecal matter, and have been purposely discouraging all wildlife from using their lands, including field margins (Beretti and Stuart 2008). Despite this trend, there may be great potential for California agriculture to positively influence wildlife conservation.…”

Section: Cac 2010)mentioning

confidence: 99%