The Emergency Animal Disposal Workgroup (EADW) is a very active composting research program. WIFSS' animal disposal workgroup is helping coordinate and review the State's livestock mortality management and response. One of the workgroup's most active sub-committees is performing research in pathogen reduction, and air and water impacts of composting cattle mortalities. This meeting was held at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Teaching and Research Center (VMTRC). Following a review of the currently collected data, EADW members were invited to observe the partial disinterment of a dairy cow that had placed in a composting pile 40 days previously.
| back to top |

Drs. Michelle Jay-Russell and Rob Atwill met with Drs. Caroline Peck, Kathleen Acree, Ben Sun, and Fred Hodges at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to discuss the possibility of establishing a joint WIFSS-CDPH California Epidemiologic Investigation Service Training Program (Cal-EIS). The Cal-EIS program was founded in 1988 and has resulted in numerous graduates who have gone on to make significant contributions to public health and other related areas. If we are successful in securing new funding, our goal will be to further expand this successful and established program into the areas of food safety and food defense, building on the various research, outreach, training, and educational programs, either in place at WIFSS or at CDPH. For additional information on Cal-EIS, visit their web site.
| back to top |

WIFSS' Dr. Jay-Russell joined WIFSS' Advisory Board Member, Hank Giclas (Western Growers Association), as panelists for the Safe Food/Leafy Greens Round Table at the California State Grange in Sacramento, CA. The event was well attended by respected leaders throughout the agricultural community all sharing a common purpose and responsibility--pledging to deliver safer foods to American tables. Also representing UC Davis were Dr. Michael Payne (WIFSS) and Bonnie Fernandez (Center for Produce Safety). The full article and photos are available from the California State Grange web site.
| back to top |

Dr. Atwill met with David Runsten and Kira Pascoe from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF). A lively discussion regarding environmental and food safety ramifications subsequent to the adoption of the Good Agricultural Practices being promoted in the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement took place. There was also discussion of how the membership of CAFF could participate in helping define the research and outreach agenda of WIFSS and UC Davis in the area of produce food safety. Plans to hold an informational meeting in July down in Monterey County to discuss these concerns were made. WIFSS will plan to coordinate this meeting with Bonnie Fernandez, Director of UC Davis' Center for Produce Safety.

| back to top |