Working Together: Regenerative Ag & Food Safety Assistance

Learn more about what programs Michigan has in place to support your food safety and regenerative agriculture goals.

Image by beauty of nature from Pixabay

Food safety does not exist in a bubble, and there are many moving parts and systems that come together to make the farm whole. The support system for agriculture in Michigan is set up in a similar way, many programs and individuals coming together to provide assistance to the farm.

The new program joining the support system web is the Conservation Technical Assistance Program (CTAP). This program was created by MDARD in response to the push for farms to practice regenerative agriculture. The CTAP program is carried out through Conservation District CTAP Technicians (formerly MAEAP Technicians). In 2024 MAEAP transitioned into one of two sub-programs under the new Conservation Technical Assistance Program, with the other subprogram being the Regenerative Agriculture Program.

The Regenerative Agriculture Program provides sustainable farming education with the goal of enhancing soil health. The core principles of the program include:

• Understanding the farm operation

• Maximizing diversity

• Maintaining living roots year-round

• Minimize soil disturbance

• Keeping soil covered

• Integrating livestock and increasing biodiversity

There is a good chance that you are already practicing a form of regenerative agriculture in a food safe way. It is possible to adhere to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule while practicing regen ag, it may just require more planning and potentially more record keeping depending on the practice you wish to implement on the farm.

One practice that bridges regen ag and food safety that comes to mind for me is the proper application of compost, manure, and other soil amendments. Using these items in the production area aids in not only providing nutrients to the crop but also increases organic matter levels in the soil. The Produce Safety Rule allows for a 0-day pre-harvest application interval if the untreated manure does not contact covered produce during and after application. However, a good agriculture practice (GAP) includes following the National Organic Program (NOP) Standards. The NOP Standards state that soil amendments that do not go through a scientifically validated process to kill pathogens (i.e. untreated manures, composts, or other biological amendments) are to be applied and incorporated 90 (tree crops/crops that do not touch the ground) - 120 days (ground crops) before harvest. This preharvest application interval is also something to consider when thinking about incorporating livestock on the farm, too!

Proper management of wastewater can help make sure that water used on the farm is not making its way back to the crop production area and food contact surfaces as a source of cross contamination. It also helps to keep detergents and sanitizers from contaminating soil and waterways once it is discharged, promoting the practice of healthy waters and soils. The Produce Safety Rule does not regulate what needs to be done with wastewater from an environmental perspective, but the Department of Environmental Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) regulates wastewater in Michigan. The PSR only specifies that adequate drainage be provided when normal operations discharge water or other liquid waste on the ground or floor of the building. There are also requirements that sewage be disposed of in an adequate sewage or septic system or other means.

Healthy soil can also serve as a natural pathogen filter. By implementing regen ag practices like cover crops, and riparian buffers you can add those nutrients and proper soil structure back into your soil, and studies show that pathogens are generally less active in healthy and biologically diverse soils as they have to compete with beneficial microbes that are taking up the nutrients that the pathogens also need to survive (Xing et al. 1). On the other hand, manures can enhance the survival of certain E. coli strains (Murphy et al. 2).

Since both CTAP Technicians and Produce Safety Technicians are collocated at Conservation Districts across the state, we can collaborate to help ensure that your regen ag goals align with your food safety program. Reach out to your county Conservation District to work with your CTAP and/or Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Produce Safety Technician if you haven’t already!

Sources

1. Xing, Jiajia, et al. “Soil PH and Microbial Diversity Constrain the Survival of E. Coli in Soil.” Soil Biology and Biochemistry, vol. 128, 1 Jan. 2019, pp. 139–149, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038071718303614, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.10.013.

2. Murphy, Claire M, et al. “Survival of Twelve Pathogenic and Generic Escherichia Coli Strains in Agricultural Soils as Influenced by Strain, Soil Type, Irrigation Regimen, and Soil Amendment.” Journal of Food Protection, vol. 87, no. 10, Oct. 2024, p. 100343, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39147099/, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100343.

---

Article by Allissa Hern, Produce Safety Technician