Managing Soil Amendments for Food Safety and Soil Health

Soil amendment use is one option among a number of management practices that growers have to support plant growth and build healthy soils. Some soil amendments are biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO) and they are primarily used as a nutrient source and to build up organic matter in the soil. However, the use of BSAAO in produce production can present a microbial food safety risk by introducing human pathogens into the soil as well as the broader farm environment. This two-part webinar series will outline benefits and risk reduction practices when using manure, compost, and other BSAAO often used on produce farms. The relationship between these BSAAO recommendations and the requirements in the National Organic Program, Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule, and third-party Good Agricultural Practices audits will also be explored. Both webinars will include a Q&A session at the end. Registration is free and the event is from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. To register and for more information please click here.