Richard Ha writes:

Yesterday’s Honolulu Advertiser had this headline on its front page: “FDA Lacks Crop Safety Research, Expert Says.”

The article stated that in spite of recurring incidents of microbial contamination of leafy vegetables, the FDA still hasn’t done the basic research necessary to identify solutions to the problem. It said the FDA hopes state authorities will take the lead in preventing disease outbreak.

This is not a new situation. When we started looking into diversifying our farm nearly five years ago, we knew that microbial contamination was a serious and gowing problem.

We also knew then that E. coli 157:H7 was associated with cattle manure. And that a major pathway through which E. coli can spread is water.

Knowing this, we did not wait. We put into place preventative measures necessary to prevent the contamination of vegetables by the virulent strain E. coli 157:H7.

First, we decided to grow hydroponically, because this method of growing gives us the best opportunity to avoid microbial contamination.

We became food safety certified because food safety certification organizations address microbial contamination issues. Every time we change the water we use to grow our lettuces, we test it for E. coli. We make sure that the spray water and the processing water is County-standard water.

We decided not to grow organically because of the risk associated with composting manure.

We fenced our reservoirs and water storage areas so that animals cannot contaminate our water.

We did not wait for the FDA to issue instructions about microbial contamination. Instead we did what we had to do in order to insure that our vegetables would be safe. That was five years ago. We’re glad that we chose to grow our vegetables hydroponically.

Also in yesterday’s Advertiser was a Viewpoint article, on the editorial page, by Waimea chef Peter Merriman. He writes about Sustainable Farming Vital For Health of Isles. He also wrote that, “Support for produce cultivated in Hawaii benefits everyone.”

Peter writes that “sustainable farming is vital for the health of the islands. It helps perpetuate Hawaii’s agriculture heritage. In addition to self sufficiency and food security, farming adds cultural depth to our communities and ensures a rewarding lifestyle for our agricultural workers.”

Thanks to Peter, and the rest of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine Chefs, for showing that there is added value in growing fresher, higher-quality crops for Hawai‘i’s people.