California Agricultural Neighbors release interim report on best practices for food safety–webinar series planned

The California Agricultural Neighbors (CAN) group invites all interested stakeholders to read its interim report, “California Agricultural Neighbors: Neighbor-to-neighbor best practices to help enhance localized food safety efforts,” as well as attend a three-part webinar series to learn about CAN and hear food safety recommendations from scientific experts. This effort is led cooperatively by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and Monterey County Farm Bureau.

Food safety is a shared responsibility. Continued outbreaks of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 associated with leafy greens in California’s Salinas Valley necessitates a robust response from the agricultural community and local, state and federal regulators.

Membership in CAN includes representation from the agricultural production community (leafy greens, cattle ranching, viticulture, compost), academia, associations (industry, consumer/retail), and government (local, state, federal).

CAN provides a roundtable forum to foster collaboration and discuss enhanced neighborly food safety practices when agriculture operations are adjacent to one another. The program will include information sharing and the development and refinement of a near-term food safety action plan.

Click the following links to learn more about and register for webinars to be hosted by the California Farm Bureau Federation in partnership with the Monterey County Farm Bureau and CDFA:

• Reservoirs of E. coli O157:H7 and other STEC – 1–2:30 p.m. (PDT) June 30 – Details & Registration: https://cfbf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p3GFEq5dQ5SIL2VSXTBc6A
• Off-farm factors that may affect STEC movement on the landscape – 9–10:30 a.m. (PDT) July 7 – Details & Registration: https://cfbf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_l1lsNiWTQAaXURGmkfioxw
• On-farm factors that may affect STEC survival and contact with produce – 9–11 a.m. (PDT) July 14 – Details & Registration: https://cfbf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qaVf0oSzRyGCC5IDMFrtTg