Post-Storm Help: How To Assess Crop Damage After Excessive Rainfall
Tropical Storm Debby brought significant amounts of rainfall to areas where fresh fruits and vegetables are grown in North Carolina. This can lead to situations where produce inadvertently comes in contact with contaminated water that may lead to produce safety concerns.
We urge produce growers to pay close attention to water accumulation in areas where produce is grown. In such areas, it is important to determine the source of the water and differentiate between standing water that comes from excessive rainfall as the soil becomes saturated and standing surface water from river, stream, and creek overflows. This is especially important when flood waters touch the edible portion of the crop.
Another concern would be for produce fields downgrade from livestock operations or areas where manure has accumulated – flooding and associated runoff from these operations could ultimately lead to produce contamination.
During periods of excessive rainfall, water can easily be contaminated with biological, physical, and chemical contaminants.
In order to prevent contaminated or “adulterated” produce from entering commerce, the FDA has set guidelines for produce that has been impacted by flood waters (FDA’s guidance on food affected by hurricanes, flooding, and power outages). If you are a produce grower with flood concerns for your growing area, please take time to review these guidelines.
RELATED CONTENT: Got Flooded Crops? Here Are Some Factors To Consider
Another timely resource is available from the Produce Safety Alliance that discusses food safety concerns for flooded farms. This fact sheet summarizes information that will help you determine whether crops are safe to be harvested. This is a great tool to use when assessing damage and identifying possible problems that arise from flood waters and periods of excessive rainfall. Note that direct contact of flood water with produce is not the only concern during this time. It is important that water sources such as wells and farm ponds be monitored closely for potential contamination from overland flow of flood waters.
Other Resources For Growers
- FDA Definition of Adulterated Food
- California LGMA Flooding and Food Safety
- Impact of Flooding on Organic Food and Fields
For more information, continue reading at ncfreshproducesafety.ces.ncsu.edu.
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