Local food Production and Biosecurity in Alabama

1. Local Food
Production and
Biosecurity
Kristin L. Woods, Ph.D.
Regional Extension Agent
Alabama Cooperative
Extension System

2. Objectives
• Discuss the local foods movement and the
reasons behind it
• Discuss the scope of local food production
in Alabama
• Discuss food safety issues concerning
small scale food production
• Discuss the risks related to commercial
poultry production

3. Local Food Movement
Do you buy local?
Why?

4. Demand Drivers Among Consumers
Grocery shoppers largely embrace the increase in local food
options because they believe:
▪ It helps local economies (66 percent)
▪ Delivers a broader and better assortment of products (60
percent)
▪ Provides healthier alternatives (45 percent)
▪ Improves the carbon footprint (19 percent)
▪ Increases natural or organic production (19 percent)
A.T. Kearney, “Buying Into the Local Food Movement”, February 2013

5. From the growers perspective….
•Opportunities to capture revenue attributed to
intermediaries in the supply chain
•Consumer desire to buy and pay a premium for riper,
fresher, higher-quality fruits and vegetables
•Sometimes the only market available to small farmers
•Connection with customers

6. Video
Farmers Market
Authority in Alabama

7. In 2008, local food sales estimated to be $4.8 billion
(Vogel and Low, 2011) .

11. Soil
Water

12. Produce Associated Outbreaks
From 1996 to 2007:
Approximately 72 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness
associated with about 20 fresh produce commodities, both
domestic and imported
•13 outbreaks were associated with tomatoes
•11 outbreaks were associated with melons
•24 outbreaks were associated with leafy greens such as
lettuce and spinach

13. What’s the big deal?
Symptoms:
•Diarrhea
•Vomiting
•Nausea
•Abdominal pain
•Fever
Complications:
•Reactive arthritis
•Guillain-Barre syndrome
•Spontaneous abortion, stillbirths
•HUS (kidney failure)
•TTP (blood clots, can lead to stroke)
•Death

16. 2013 Privett Hatchery Outbreak
A total of 356 persons infected with Salmonella Typhimurium
•39 states
•62 were hospitalized.
•76% percent of ill people reported contact with live poultry in
the week before their illness began.

17. 2013 Privett Hatchery Outbreak
95% of ill persons reported purchasing live poultry from
agricultural feed stores.
• A total of 116 locations of feed stores representing 33
feed store companies were identified.
• Traceback investigations identified 18 mail-order
hatcheries that supplied poultry to these feed stores.
• The majority of traceback investigations identified
Privett Hatchery in Portales, New Mexico as the source
of the poultry linked to this outbreak.

19. Foodborne Illness from Poultry
• Campylobacter
• Salmonella
• E. Coli

20. Disease organisms get to other farms by one
of the above ways 90% of the time.

24. POULTRY DISEASES
• Gumboro (Bursal
Disease)
• Coccidiosis
• Fowl Cholera
• Infectious Coryza
• Laringotracheitis
• Marek’s Disease
• Newcastle
• Avian Tuberculosis
• Mycoplasmosis
• Salmonellosis
• Avian Influenza

31. • Maintain healthy flocks
• Report diseases
• Monitor

32. Conclusions
• The number of farmers markets and direct
market farmers is increasing
• Small scale food production presents new
farmers with food safety challenges
• Producer and consumer education is key to
prevention of outbreaks

33. Credits……
Poultry Disease Prevention and Control for Small Flock Owners
Gary Butcher, DVM, PhD
University of Florida/ IFAS
Enhancing the Safety of Locally Grown Produce:

34. Questions?
Kristin L. Woods, Ph.D.
Regional Extension Agent
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
251-753-1164
WOODSKL@auburn.edu
All information contained within this site is issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30,
1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and
Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion,
sex, age, veteran status, or disability.