Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 associated with the consumption of leafy green produce from different regions within California have initiated a series of food safety management practices regarding wildlife access to the produce production environment and potential contamination of irrigation water supplies. Recent surveys of feral swine that document fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 underscore the potential for wildlife contamination of fresh produce under appropriate environmental conditions. Collectively, these observations have motivated retailers, processors, and growers of leafy green products to develop that set of ambitious guidelines regarding buffer zones, set-back distances, and fencing requirements for restricting wildlife access to the production environment. These issues and their ramifications for food safety and environmental quality will be discussed.