Local Food Production and

Biosecurity

Kristin L. Woods, Ph.D.Regional Extension Agent

Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Objectives

• Discuss the local foods movement and the reasons behind it

• Discuss the scope of local food production in Alabama

• Discuss food safety issues concerning small scale food production

• Discuss the risks related to commercial poultry production

Local Food Movement

Do you buy local?

Why?

Demand Drivers Among Consumers

Grocery shoppers largely embrace the increase in local food options because they believe:

▪ It helps local economies (66 percent)▪ Delivers a broader and better assortment of products (60 percent)▪ Provides healthier alternatives (45 percent)▪ Improves the carbon footprint (19 percent)▪ Increases natural or organic production (19 percent) A.T. Kearney, “Buying Into the Local Food Movement”, February 2013

From the growers perspective….

•Opportunities to capture revenue attributed to intermediaries in the supply chain•Consumer desire to buy and pay a premium for riper, fresher, higher-quality fruits and vegetables•Sometimes the only market available to small farmers•Connection with customers

Video

Farmers Market Authority in Alabama

In 2008, local food sales estimated to be $4.8 billion (Vogel and Low, 2011) .

Soil

Water

Produce Associated OutbreaksFrom 1996 to 2007:

Approximately 72 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with about 20 fresh produce commodities, both domestic and imported

•13 outbreaks were associated with tomatoes•11 outbreaks were associated with melons•24 outbreaks were associated with leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach

What’s the big deal?Symptoms:•Diarrhea•Vomiting•Nausea•Abdominal pain•Fever

Complications:•Reactive arthritis•Guillain-Barre syndrome•Spontaneous abortion, stillbirths•HUS (kidney failure)•TTP (blood clots, can lead to stroke)•Death

2013 Privett Hatchery Outbreak

A total of 356 persons infected with Salmonella Typhimurium

•39 states •62 were hospitalized. •76% percent of ill people reported contact with live poultry in the week before their illness began.

2013 Privett Hatchery Outbreak

95% of ill persons reported purchasing live poultry from agricultural feed stores.

• A total of 116 locations of feed stores representing 33 feed store companies were identified.

• Traceback investigations identified 18 mail-order hatcheries that supplied poultry to these feed stores.

• The majority of traceback investigations identified Privett Hatchery in Portales, New Mexico as the source of the poultry linked to this outbreak.

Foodborne Illness from Poultry

• Campylobacter• Salmonella• E. Coli

Disease organisms get to other farms by one of the above ways 90% of the time.

POULTRY DISEASES Gumboro (Bursal Disease) Coccidiosis Fowl Cholera Infectious Coryza Laringotracheitis Marek’s Disease Newcastle Avian Tuberculosis Mycoplasmosis Salmonellosis Avian Influenza

• Maintain healthy flocks• Report diseases• Monitor

Conclusions• The number of farmers markets and direct

market farmers is increasing

• Small scale food production presents new farmers with food safety challenges

• Producer and consumer education is key to prevention of outbreaks

Credits……Poultry Disease Prevention and Control for Small Flock Owners

Gary Butcher, DVM, PhDUniversity of Florida/ IFAS

Enhancing the Safety of Locally Grown Produce:

Questions?Kristin L. Woods, Ph.D.

Regional Extension AgentAlabama Cooperative Extension System

251-753-1164WOODSKL@auburn.edu

All information contained within this site is issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.