Vegetable producers’ perceptions of food safety hazards in the Midwestern USA

The perspectives, practices and potential gaps in knowledge regarding fresh produce safety hazards among Midwestern US vegetable producers were measured using a survey-based confirmatory assessment. Although the majority of vegetable producers considered themselves familiar with national Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and agreed that implementing GAPs could reduce the risk of produce contamination, they were not consistently practicing GAPs. Irrigation and run-off water, worker hygiene, raw and composted animal manure, wildlife droppings, field proximity to livestock or wildlife habitats, plant diseases and insects were acknowledged as important potential sources of pre-harvest microbial contamination of produce, but paradoxically, producers disagreed that contamination most frequently originated on-farm. There was significant variation in producers’ level of agreement with regard to the importance and economic feasibility of various management practices for the prevention of on-farm food contamination. In general, vegetable producers did not declare an immediate need for more information on food safety, but did nevertheless, indicate that they would like more information on the sources of produce contamination, how contamination occurs, and GAPs guidelines. Vegetable producers preferred in-person modes of communication over mass media, fact sheets or electronic modes, with only 17% having a preference for Internet or email based information. These findings aid in the development and delivery of targeted, science-based, farm management guidelines and knowledge translation programs aimed at enhancing the safety of produce on the farm. ► Most produce growers considered themselves familiar with food safety GAPs but many did not consistently implement them. ► Producers preferred in-person modes of communications. ► Vegetable producers disagreed that contamination most often originated on the farm. ► Identified beliefs and practices will be used in new risk management and communication materials.