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Common goals for global production
While technology will have the most impact for manufacturers, education will make the most difference on the farm. Linton, whose research has taken him to the Salinas Valley field where contaminated spinach was grown, says on-farm priorities include improving practices related to manure management, irrigation water and worker hygiene.
The strategies for safer production for farmers in one of our nation’s most fertile valleys can be applied to producers in other countries as well. “In the ’70s or ’80s, if you purchased tomatoes, they were likely grown locally. You didn’t get them from California or other parts of the world. Now, we have blueberries from Chile, raspberries from Guatemala—we have a wide variety of produce options from around the world,” Linton says.
Good Agricultural Practices, commonly referred to as GAPs, can help improve the quality and safety of produce no matter where it’s grown. GAPs provide recommendations for four components of production and processing—soil, water, hands and surfaces—and include ways to identify and reduce individual on-site risks. In the Salinas Valley, for example, this could involve changing the way spinach is grown so that it is less likely to be contaminated by irrigation water, says Linton, who is a collaborator for the National Good Agricultural Practices Program. Purdue Extension includes GAPs among the topics presented at workshops and seminars for commercial growers in Indiana.
Educational byproducts
Even though new technologies are on the horizon, Linton emphasizes that there is still a substantial need for produce research. “Increased awareness has promoted significant increases in food safety research and funding opportunities. The industry is on board and putting resources into solving food safety problems,” he says. Congress is also considering legislation that would more closely regulate imports, increase funding for food-safety agencies, and provide competitive grants for research and educational outreach.
In the 30 years since her expeditions into California’s produce fields, Wyman says she’s become an informed consumer because of food safety research and educational programs offered by Purdue Extension. “A lot of things can panic consumers,” she says about the food-safety debate. “Years ago, after safety concerns first surfaced about poultry, I never wanted to eat chicken again. But if handled correctly, you have a really excellent chance of not getting contaminated food. As a consumer,” she asserts, “I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
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