Evaluating Irrigation Water Quality Regulation in Fresh Produce Production: The Case of Treasure Valley in Eastern Oregon and Southwest Idaho

Although numerous facets of standards pertaining to microbial quality of irrigation water used in fresh fruit and vegetable production deserve close examination and analysis, in this project we will focus on: Objective 1: developing an economic model for probabilistic evaluation of fresh produce safety improvement policies via microbial irrigation water quality standards under stochastic occurrence of irrigation water contamination, Objective 2: evaluating economic efficiency of microbial irrigation water quality regulation as a function of a spectrum of maximum allowable levels of generic E. coli concentration in irrigation water, Objective 3: quantifying the effects of various levels of microbial water quality standards on regional agricultural production industry, Objective 4: evaluating economic efficiency of regulating irrigation water quality via mandated standards vs. tort (liability) law system with litigation or the threat of litigation serving to deliver desired goals of
improved food safety, Objective 5: quantifying the relationship between the presence of indicator organisms (generic E. coli and/or fecal coliform) in irrigation water and the presence of actual human pathogens (Salmonella spp. and E. coli O1