EGG-NEWS has frequently commented on the risks associated with irrigating fields growing leafy greens and other vegetable crops with water contaminated with runoff from concentrated animal feeding operations, (CAFOs).

The Environmental Working Group has recently completed a geospatial survey of CAFOs and irrigated acreage in California.  The study used data available from the California Environmental Protection Agency and the State Water Resources Control Board.  The study identified 1,062 CAFOs housing 77 million animals. Of these units, 918 collectively housed three million cows with 150 farms with 74 million poultry of various species.  Ninety-three percent of CAFOs were within one mile of canals used to irrigate fields and 42 percent were within a quarter of a mile.  Approximately 2.5 million acres of fields in California are within three miles of at least one CAFO. 

It is obvious that contamination of irrigation water with E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria is inevitable.  Proposals advanced by the FDA to “test” water are unrealistic and represent a make believe approach to reducing the risk of foodborne infection associated with consumption of non-cooked foods in the form of salads.

It is imperative that an effective “kill step” should be incorporated into the handling and packaging of leafy greens and vegetables cultivated using irrigation from canals.  Previous postings in EGG-NEWS have suggested electron beam and cold plasma treatment that would be effective and economical.  Neither the CAFOs nor the irrigated fields would be displaced and accordingly, adoption of technology to destroy foodborne pathogenic bacteria would be beneficial to both producers and consumers.