Bugs matter: Integrated Pest Management in poultry preharvest food safety
Effective Integrated Pest Management programs can lower the potential spread of foodborne pathogens in poultry production.
Most people can quickly spot the signs of a pest infestation in a poultry house: beetles crawling up the exterior walls, swarms of flies near piles of organic debris, or chewed-up litter by feed pans. However, not everyone associates these signs with what they can bring into an operation: the beginning of a potential foodborne disease transmission.
Insect pests are not just a nuisance to animals and producers. They are also an often-overlooked factor in the food safety process. Controlling insects through an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program can lower the potential spread of pathogens and diseases in poultry production.