CPS, PMA, WGA partner to produce Ag Water report
To help the industry evaluate and consider several years’ worth of scientific research findings, Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and Western Growers Association (WGA) have partnered with the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) to deliver a report focused on agricultural water and its impact on food safety. Specifically, the report features key findings from CPS-funded research efforts and other public sources.
The four key areas noted below are addressed in “Agricultural Water: Five-Year Research Review” with questions that include: “What do we know? What have we learned? What is currently being funded?”
- Human Pathogen Prevalence, Quality and Persistence in Agricultural Water
- Transfer and Persistence of Human Pathogens from Contaminated Agricultural Water to the Agricultural Environment and Produce
- Managing Agricultural Water Safety
- Tools to Assess the Risk Posed by Agricultural Water Use and Practices
“I think it is often difficult for a grower or a handler to track the volume of relevant, industry-ready research that comes out of the Center for Produce Safety,” said Hank Giclas, senior vice president, science, technology and strategic planning for Western Growers. “It is even more challenging when you look back over the last six years at almost $14 million worth of funding for 85 different projects across almost two dozen institutions. That is why I am very excited and pleased to work with the Produce Marketing Association to review and synthesize CPS output on a topic-by-topic basis.”
“It’s an excellent resource for industry members participating in the forthcoming FSMA produce rule policy debate regarding appropriate and effective agricultural water preventive control standards,” said Jim Gorny, vice president of food safety and technology at PMA.
For questions about the “Agricultural Water: Five-Year Research Review” report findings or other research areas pertaining to food safety, science and technology, please contact CPS’ Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, PMA’s Jim Gorny, or WGA’s Hank Giclas.
