Additional Resources: Toxoplasmosis in Cats https://foodsafetyclearinghouse.org/sites/default/files/resource/toxo_risks_0.pdf Domesticated Animals Factsheet https://shop.iastate.edu/extension/farm-environment/farm-and-business-management/food-safety/fs56.html Service Animals https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1310/ Balancing Food Safety and Domesticated Animals on Produce Farms https://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/agriculture/files/documents/Produce_Program/VAAFM%20Domesticated%20Animal%20Factsheet...

Produce safety is not the only concern growers have on their minds when navigating the daily challenges of farming, and in some cases, might not even be the paramount concern of the moment. These other challenges can be economic, environmental, ecological, or social. So when we think about addressing produce safety on the farm, it is worth considering ways that we can integrate produce safety strategies while addressing the multitude of other concerns at hand. Multifunctional strategies can...

Nick Panicola is the newest member of the Produce Safety Technician team working at the Grand Traverse Conservation District. He spent +5 years working in viticulture and dabbling in diverse vegetable farming and livestock rearing. Along with his experience in the field, he brings a passion for community and connection-making in the pursuit of developing more resilient rural food systems. My introduction to the concepts of regenerative agriculture slowly trickled into my life during the...