Location: Produce Safety and Microbiology Research
Project Number: 2030-42000-055-008-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2021
End Date: Jul 1, 2025
Objective:
Engage stakeholders with updated information on best management practices for agricultural water. In addition, provide stakeholders with education materials and certification courses in water sanitation.
Approach:
The laboratory results obtained for WRRC will be validated and verified by implementing them in field-scale evaluations conducted at the University of Arizona's Maricopa and Yuma Agricultural Centers. The results of the field trial will be applied to the development of the Agricultural Water Treatment Best Management Practices (BMP) Manual. This manual will include surveys of grower concerns, legal requiremnts and constraints for agricultural water treatment, and indentify the potential management responses to microbial contamination.The manual will be beta-tested on selected volunteers. The recruitment of volunteers will rely on personal and professional stakeholder networks. Pre- and post-testing will evaluate the effectiveness of the manual along multiple dimensions, including ease of use, understandability, and impact.
