Farmers, Gleaners Encouraged to Assess Produce Safety Following a Flood

As fall flood waters begin to recede, growers are reminded to be vigilant about the potential impacts of flooding on their crops.

While late fall and early winter is not typically a primary growing season in this region, certain crops such as garlic, cabbage, and kale that overwinter or are cold hardy can present food safety hazards if fields are flooded.
Surface water flowing onto a farm during a flood contains known or reasonably foreseeable hazards, microbial (e.g., from animals and animal feces) as well as chemical (e.g., oil, pesticides). If that water comes into contact with produce, the produce is considered adulterated under section 402 of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The Produce Safety Rule (PSR) includes requirements for water that comes in contact with the harvestable portion of the crop (not just the edible portion) and considers the harvestable portion to be present from the time of flowering for fruiting crops and from the time root crops and leafy green seedlings are planted in the field. While the entire harvested portion may not be consumed, it can contaminate the edible portion when harvested and packed on the farm and once the consumer gets it home.

“Due to the different crops that could be impacted and unique topography of each farm and field, it is up to each grower to assess the risk to their crops and ensure that adulterated produce does not reach consumers,” WSDA Produce Safety Program Manager Connie Fisk said.

Below are some resources to help you evaluate whether crops in the field during a flooding event are adulterated and not suitable for human consumption:

• Food Safety for Flooded Farms (PSA, 2018)
• Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Human Consumption, FDA (Oct 2011)
• Safety of Food and Animal Food Crops Affected by Hurricanes, Flooding, and Power Outages, FDA

WSDA Food Safety recommends, if growers’ crops have been impacted by flood water, documenting the details considered when evaluating your risk, such as:

• date(s) of the flood event,
• severity of flooding (e.g., depth of flood water relative to plant height, stage of plant development, and whether it contacted the harvestable portion of the crop),
• source of the flood water (e.g., overflowing canal or river), and
• any potential contaminants from adjacent and nearby land use (e.g., runoff from roadways, animal production areas, sewage from a water treatment plant, etc.).

Before cleaning up the field or destroying produce, check with the farm’s crop insurance and/or local Farm Services Agency (FSA) representatives regarding exact documentation to certify losses, procedures for initiating claims, and possible financial assistance.