The official definition of agricultural water is “water used in any manner where it is intended to or likely to contact the harvestable portion of the crop.” As a farmer, determining when water is considered agricultural water means determining when or if water will contact the produce. Water refers to irrigation or other methods where water is intentionally applied on or near the produce.
Identifying agricultural water depends on multiple factors The two most important are:
Crop characteristics - The types of crops grown on the farm can determine if the water used is agricultural water. Evaluating agricultural water will look different for tree fruits, root vegetables, and more. The farther that the produce is from the water, the less likely the water is to contact the produce. Tree fruits that grow high off the ground and are less likely to be contacted by water, while low growing strawberries are more likely to be contacted by water.
Application method - There are many ways for water to contact produce. The primary method is via irrigation. However not all irrigation is likely to be agricultural water. Drip irrigation, especially if used underneath plastic mulch, is less likely to contact produce - if the produce grows above the plastic. Meanwhile overhead irrigation is much more likely to be agricultural water. There are many other ways for water to contact the produce. Foliar sprays, dust abatement, and frost protection are examples of other methods where water may contact produce.
Agricultural water does not depend on:
Source - The source of the water contributes to its relative risk and is a valuable factor in completing an agricultural water assessment, but agricultural water can be sourced from surface, ground, or municipal water.
Determining if agricultural water is present on a farm requires stepping back and viewing the farm system as a whole. The most important question to ask is: “Is water going to touch my produce?” If the answer is “yes” or “maybe,” then you have agricultural water.
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Article by Breanna Hannula, Produce Safety Technician