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Guidance for taro harvest after flood water exposure?
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Guidance for taro harvest after flood water exposure?
Hi everyone,
In light of the recent flooding here in Hawai?i, we’re looking for input related to kalo (aka taro) and flood exposure.
As a general rule, we advise growers to not harvest/ discard crops that have come into contact with floodwater. We know this is especially important for crops leafy greens and other low-growing produce. However, taro presents a unique situation. This crop is traditionally cultivated in lo?i systems, where the taro is grown in a wetland environment with water diverted from streams flowing slowly through the growing area. Taro is also grown in dry land systems, which is how growers in our GroupGAP Program are growing there crop– Several farms we work with had their taro fields fully submerged during flooding, but these crops are not scheduled for harvest for another 2–3 months.
We wanted to see if anyone here has perspectives or guidance on the following:
- Would it be best practice to fully re-establish the fields after flood exposure, or could a risk-based assessment approach be appropriate, treating conditions similarly to typical lo?i (wetland-style) production?
- Are there any recommended waiting periods, mitigation steps, or documentation practices specific to kalo or similar root crops in this scenario?
We have reached out to some other local food safety professionals here in HI as well since they are more familiar with taro production but wanted to throw it out here as well, any input would be appreciated!
Thanks 🙂
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1 Reply
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Hi Francesca,
I’m sorry to hear about the flooding!
I have not seen Taro production in-person, but the wetland systems sound similar to seepage irrigation systems in Florida.
In FDA’s “Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Human Consumption” (https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-evaluating-safety-flood-affected-food-crops-human-consumption) they state that “Flooding is the flowing or overflowing of a field with water outside a grower’s control.” My interpretation (and I would love to hear some other interpretations!) is that in the traditional taro system, the water is under the growers control. A flooding event signals that the water is now outside the growers control.
FDA does not explicitly address Taro (that I know of) but they do state in Section A of the guidance that if the edible portion of a crop is exposed to flood waters, it is considered adulterated and should not enter human food channels. Section A applies to ALL food crops and, in the list below, I think Taro (depending on what part they are harvesting) falls under surface crops, underground crops, or the all encompassing “others”
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- Surface crops such as leafy greens, tomatoes, string beans, berries, and corn;
- Underground crops, such as peanuts, potatoes, carrots, and garlic
- Crops with a hard outer skin or shell, such as watermelon and winter squash
- Grains, nuts, corns, and similar products stored in bulk
- Others.
For your request on perspective/guidance, this is a condensed version of what FDA offers (please read the guidance for a more in-depth FDA perspective!):
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Do not re-plant in flooded fields if flood waters have not receded and the soil has not sufficiently dried.
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Allow soils to dry sufficiently and be reworked prior to subsequently planting crops on formerly flooded production ground.
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Sample soil for the presence of microorganisms of significant public health concern or appropriate indicator microorganisms.
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The waiting period before growers can replant depends on conditions such as temperature, weather, and soil type. FDA does not have data to determine the length of waiting time that is generally considered safe for replanting. State, industry, and university extension specialists have recommended a 30-60 day waiting period and/or soil testing prior to replanting.
I wish I had more to share! Please let us know what you hear from others, appreciate being able to learn more about this with you and consider best practices for growers.
Billy
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