Summary Of Ideas.pdf

Livestock ranches and fresh produce farms in California are highly regulated, but there's confusion about food safety efforts. In 2019, the University of California-Davis and the California Department of Food & Agriculture held workshops to discuss safety of fresh produce grown near wildlife and livestock. Breakout sessions explored tools to advance food safety, and participants discussed three questions: what tools are needed to manage operations and minimize risk, creative local methods to manage risks, and how to build an effective dialogue between fresh produce and livestock operations.

Ideas discussed during breakout sessions included:

RESEARCH:
- Additional research on buffer zones, bio-aerosols, water sanitation, E. coli persistence, and post-harvest sanitation
- Novel technology approaches to predict pathogen entry into plant environments
- Increasing livestock E. coli vaccine efficiency and using feed additives to decrease shedding

COMMUNICATION:
- Define and educate on the importance of food safety
- Productive communication at local, regional, and state levels
- Create local food safety groups and use social media to engage both sides
- Intermediary between farms and regulatory agencies

TRAINING / OUTREACH:
- Central clearinghouse for food safety information
- Guidance for growers on best management practices
- Communicate "lessons learned" from previous outbreaks and research projects
- Increased training in risk awareness and outreach on nutrient management

OTHER – MISCELLANEOUS:
- Compare California's systems to neighboring states and other countries
- Mitigating litigation and engaging wider stakeholders before and after outbreaks
- Liaisons to cross industry barriers