Justin Dagen, Karlstad

Crop cleanliness not negotiable
"You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” — Martin Luther

Team members at Dagen Heritage Farms would agree that significant time investments are made in cleaning, washing and disinfecting, and then cleaning, washing and disinfecting again to ensure the sanitation of potato handling equipment and storage surfaces in our farm operation. The conscientious certified seed potato producer recognizes that cleanliness is not negotiable. He does everything humanly possible to buy clean seed from the laboratory or greenhouse, and to keep it clean to produce high-quality, delicious potatoes.

Producers and various potato processors adhere to USDA protocols as outlined in GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) and GHP (Good Handling Practices) to make certain our products meet the strictest food safety standards. In addition, the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 places responsibility on producers to know that the consuming public expects and is entitled to purchase produce of the highest quality, flavor and nutrition.

I believe Mr. Luther would be delighted were he to join us at the dinner table tonight.

Rochelle Krusemark, Trimont

Food safety measures in plan from farm to fork
How many times have you been engaged in or overheard a conversation about access to safe, affordable and high-quality food choices? Most American consumers would answer, “Never!” We expect our food to be safe and as a farmer, I am proud that consumers are confident. Farmers take our commitment to producing safe food seriously, as do those who transport, process and distribute food.

On Krusemark Farms, we only use crop protection and animal health products that have been assessed for safety and approved for use, including residue monitoring and control systems. When used as directed, animal medicines and pesticides are not harmful to humans, plants or animals. We use animal vaccines to prevent illness, and pesticides to manage pests such as flies, fleas, ticks and mange. We record and maintain records to track withdrawal times that eliminate the possibility of any residues in our food supply.

Every person who loads or unloads, moves or feeds animals on our farm has Pork Quality Assurance Plus certification. The program helps measure, track and continuously improve animal well-being. The Beef Quality Assurance program offers similar stockmanship and stewardship protocols as PQA.

Beef production is more diverse than pork production across the U.S., so the BQA program allows states the opportunity to provide consistency of Best Management Practices across the state.

I enjoy my role as a Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics trainer for youth — a requirement for FFA and 4-H livestock exhibitors. Teaching and sharing helps me keep priorities in context within a busy life.

Brad and I recently completed our application and interview for the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program. The program certifies farmers for managing land within their operation in a way that protects water quality. Information used in the assessment includes soil test reports, nutrient application information, manure tests and application records, pesticide records and tillage practices. The certifier completes a field review of the farms to look for erosion or other potential impacts to water quality, and when the entire farm operation meets program standards it will be eligible as a Water Quality Certified Farm. Maintaining healthy soil and clean water produces healthy food!

At Krusemark Farms, animal wellness and a balanced ecological system are top priorities. For more information about food production standards and inspection, visit the Food and Drug Administration at fda.gov, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service at fsis.usda.gov and the Department of Health and Human Services' federal food safety information website, foodsafety.gov.

Paul Kvistad, Wood Lake

HPAI prompts industry-wide biosecurity programs
The overall goal of our turkey farm has always been to provide a safe, wholesome product to the consumer, and try to make a living doing so. When I think of this goal, I am reminded of all the day-to-day work it takes to protect our flocks from disease, and to provide a good environment for them to grow.

Minnesota is the No. 1 producer of turkeys in the U.S. Its farmers raise 46 million birds per year on 450 farms across the state. Each farm has the obligation to protect its flocks while keeping in mind it is part of a large supply chain. Disease outbreaks, such as the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in 2014-15, can not only devastate an individual farm, but also depress the entire U.S. market and cause sanctions from other countries importing our U.S.-grown turkeys.

I receive emails from the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association (MTGA) with disease alerts from around the entire country. In January, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service detected the presence of the same strain of HPAI that swept through our state in 2015 in a mallard duck in Montana. No illness or mortality had been detected in our U.S. poultry industry. These alerts serve as a reminder to me to be vigilant in biosecurity protecting my flocks, and to be prepared for action if disaster strikes.

To manage an outbreak of a devastating disease, should one occur on our farm, I have used an online tool provided by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health called the "Poultry Disease Planning Tool." Its website catchphrase is “When disaster strikes the time to prepare has passed.”

This tool provides a step-by-step guide from prevention to disease elimination. On the site, I provided farm information that will help me efficiently receive the proper help to contain a disease outbreak or, worst-case scenario, to have to depopulate the farm. The information I provide would help MBAH and USDA in the protection of not only my farm, but also the industry as a whole.

Using the online planning tool, I provided Minnesota and U.S. premise identification, so responders can easily locate my farm. There also is a Google map of our farm where I labeled all barns, outbuildings, roads, points of entry, water sources, and staging and parking areas. In addition to the map, I provided a list of equipment on the farm, such as tractors, skid steers, etc. I also provided a list of businesses and contact information for all daily activities on the farm that might need to be stopped or altered in some way. Those services might include feed delivery, garbage service, mail service, fuel service, pest control and sales or service personnel that regularly visit the farm.

I hope we never have to use this Poultry Disease Planning Tool. However, I am thankful to have it in place. We are very thankful to MTGA, the Minnesota Turkey Research Board and MBAH for their constant monitoring and resources they provide to us as a grower.