It is essential that priority be given to protecting dairy animals because radioactive materials can quickly enter the food chain through milk and other dairy products. If sheltering is required, shelter these animals first.
Shelter livestock in covered barns or sheds unless extremely hot weather or other factors make this impossible. Provide your animals stored feed such as hay, silage and bagged grain. Whenever possible, animals should be provided water drawn from wells. Open sources such as ponds, creeks, or rivers should be avoided if possible. These protective measures would minimize the amount of radioactive material available to the animals. Since evacuation of farm animals would not normally be possible after a nuclear accident, sheltering and the use of stored feed and well water are the most effective means of limiting contamination.
Poultry are more resistant to radioactive contamination than other farm animals. Since most are raised in confined facilities and receive stored feed and well water, they can be sheltered in their existing structures. If your poultry animals are normally kept outdoors, they should be brought inside if possible. Eggshells provide natural protection from contamination. Generally, eggs will be safe to eat after the shells are washed to remove surface contaminants.
Contaminated Feed
Only in extreme emergencies may contaminated grain or hay be used for feed. If you must use feed which has been identified as contaminated, you may be able to reduce the level of contamination. For example, if the feed was stored outside, the contamination may be greatest at or near the surface of the feed pile. Removal of the top portion may greatly reduce the amount of contamination present.
Do not dispose of contaminated feed or hay because it may be salvageable over time. You should, however, keep it separated from noncontaminated feed supplies and animals so that the contamination is not spread. Contact your Cooperative Extension Service agent for guidance.
If animals have been exposed to radioactive particles carried by winds or rain from the accident site, they should be washed with uncontaminated water before being brought into a shelter.
Contaminated Milk and Other Farm Products
If particles of radioactive material are present in large amounts, you may be advised not to use, consume, or sell garden produce or animal products until the environment and food products are sampled and assessed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development. The presence of contamination may not mean that all of your crops will be lost.
Do not destroy food or feed unless spoilage has made it inedible. Generally, contaminated products may be salvageable after adequate time passes and they are properly processed. Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development can provide specific information.
Water Supplies
Store as much water as possible for livestock. Cover open wells, tanks and other storage containers to prevent or limit contamination. Close off the intakes from contaminated water sources (ponds, streams or cisterns) to prevent circulation of contaminated water. Generally, water from wells and water heaters should be safe to use.
Unless the soil is highly permeable, contaminants deposited on the ground will normally travel very slowly into the aquifer. Contaminants may fall directly onto the surfaces of lakes or rivers where they can infiltrate groundwater supplies. Streams and lake currents can transport contaminants many miles in a few hours.
Fish and Marine Life
Fish and other marine life raised in ponds, or taken from rivers, streams, or lakes may have been contaminated. Don’t eat local fish until the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy have determined it is safe.
Crops in the Field
Standing crops should generally be allowed to grow to maturity. The level of radiation exposure to plants that is likely to occur will not affect their growth. Most contaminants will be washed off or will diminish in strength naturally to safe levels during the growing process. If special harvesting procedures are necessary, the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development will advise you.
Pasture and forage plants usually retain very little radioactive material deposited on them. The extent to which they collect and retain contaminants depends on the amount and type of contaminants involved, foliage characteristics and the amount of rain and wind occurring after the accident.
Fruits and Vegetables in the Field
Unprotected plants may have particles of contaminants on their surfaces. Leaves, pods and fruits should be washed, brushed, scrubbed or peeled before eating. Some leafy vegetables may be eaten after removal of the outer layers and a thorough washing.
Ripe fruit and vegetables may be lost through spoilage if high levels of contamination prevent the entry of field workers to harvest them. Those that do not need to be harvested immediately may possibly be salvaged later when the area has been determined to be safe for harvesting.
Honey and Apiary Products
Honey and bee hives may be sources of contamination if radioactive contamination is detected in the area. Honey and bee hives will be sampled and analyzed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development if contamination is apparent.
Roots and Tubers
Potatoes, carrots and similar plants can generally be eaten after they are thoroughly washed and peeled to remove soil particles and contaminants.
Other Plants or Wildlife
Wild plants, such as native herbs, mushrooms, dandelion greens, spearmint, peppermint, or wintergreen may have particles of contamination on their surfaces. They should be washed, brushed, scrubbed, or peeled before eating.
Wild game, such as deer, rabbit, squirrel, pheasant, or partridge, may have ingested contaminants through their normal browse. You may be advised by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development not to consume wild game until it has been sampled and assessed as safe.
Weather and Time Play a Part
All radioactive materials lose their radioactivity over time. Inert gases released from commercial nuclear plants lose their radioactivity in a matter of minutes, for example. Wind or heavy rain tend to remove radioactive material rapidly from plant surfaces. In some cases, however, hard rain falling on contaminated soil could splash the soil onto plant surfaces, thus increasing the amount of radioactive material on lowstanding plants.
Soil Recovery
Several steps may be taken to restore soils contaminated in an accident. Nonuse for a period of time may be required. In a worst-case situation, heavily contaminated soil may require removal and disposal elsewhere. Such a drastic action may not be feasible for large fields but may be appropriate for small plots or areas such as walkways near buildings where frequent human contact is likely. In less severe situations, fiber crops may be planted instead of fruits and vegetables. Deep plowing may be employed to keep radioactive contaminants below the root zone while the radioactivity decays over time. Liming may be used to limit the absorption of specific radioactive elements by crops. The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide farmers with guidance as to the best means of restoring valuable soils to productive use.
Food Processors and Distributors
Following a radiological emergency, governmental officials may restrict the movement of food products and withhold them from the marketplace if they are found to be contaminated. These products should not be released until they are considered to be safe for consumption, or until a decision has been made to dispose of them. You will be instructed how to safely handle and dispose of contaminated food products by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
For more information to Farmers, Food Processors, and Distributors, consult our pamphlet or contact your Cooperative Extension Service.