Organic materials in horticulture - their safe use

Organic material includes plant materials (including straw, sawdust, rice hulls, crop residues and food wastes), animal manures, seaweed, fish by-products and any other materials that are derived from plants or animals.

These organic materials may contain microbes that can cause human illness and care should be taken in their use. Produce can be contaminated if the organic materials used to grow them are not treated and handled correctly.

This Agnote contains conformation about managing the risk of organic materials for crop nutrition and soil improvement.