Colorado’s official post-disaster river and stream survey of the 4,500 square miles that were in the path of last month’s floods found “no evidence” of oil and gas pollution, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has found. 
Some areas, especially in the South Platte River basin, do have high levels of E.…
E. Coli Found in Colorado Drinking Water
Lyons, CO, a foothill town north of Boulder that has been devastated by flooding, reported the presence of E. coli in its water system last week. “We don’t want you using any of the water, so it was turned off,” said town administrator Victoria Simonsen during a public information meeting on Sept. 19. “It is…
Northern Colorado Floods Close Greeley Beef-Processing Plant
One of this country’s largest beef-processing plants, located in Greeley, CO, cancelled its first and second shifts today because of the flood disaster in Northern Colorado. Barb Walker, human resource supervisor for JBS USA, asked employees to stay safe by not coming into the plant that employs close to 5,000 workers. 
The confluence of the…
FDA Issues Advice on Flooded Food Crops
In the aftermath of Irene, the hurricane/tropical storm that battered the East Coast in August, the Food and Drug Administration has released updated advice on how growers can judge the safety of their crops when flood waters have come in contact with the edible portions, and when they have not, as well as when to …
Food Crop Safety After Irene's Floodwaters
Last Friday and Saturday, the crew at Roxbury Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley prepared for the hurricane by stowing machinery and hay bales above the floodplain. Jean-Paul Courtens and his workers harvested ripe delicata squash, secured tomato plants against the wind, and pulled irrigation equipment from the Kinderhook Creek. However, there was no way …
In Wake of Irene, Rivers Tested for E. coli, Pesticides
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, federal officials are actively sampling water from six East Coast rivers to check for E. coli, pesticides and other hazards that may have washed into waterways.
The U.S. Geological Survey announced Monday it has dispatched field crews to respond to the hurricane-turned-tropical storm, which, while less severe than predicted, …
USDA Offers Food Safety Tips for Emergencies
With tsunami warnings and advisories issued for Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast, and heavy rains causing floods on the East Coast, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is providing recommendations to residents in those areas to minimize the potential for foodborne illnesses due to power outages and other problems …
Is Flooding Cause for Food Safety Concerns?
After torrential downpour soaked their fields, some soybean farmers are being advised that they may have to destroy their crops as a food safety precaution.
At issue is a 2009 notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding the effect of natural disasters on food safety. Because flooding can cause crops to be contaminated by …