The Johnson County Commission and the Johnson County Community Health Services (JCCHS) Board of Trustees have approved a Food Ordinance as an addition to the existing Johnson County Code of Health Regulations. The Food Ordinance will be effective July 1, 2010.

The new food ordinance applies to food service establishments as defined in Missouri Food Code 19CSR 20-1.025 (examples restaurants, cafes, bars, schools, coffee shops, caterers and temporary food booths). There are no permit or training fees. Non-profit organizations [IRS 501(c)(3)] are excluded from the county food ordinance and remain regulated under Missouri Food Code.

The purpose of having a county food ordinance is to allow the local public health authority to act on an imminent health hazards, collect information through permitting, educate persons about food safety, support the proper design of food establishments and present a deterrent to non-compliance.

Current food establishments should receive a permit application and information from JCCHS prior to May 1, 2010. Establishments must complete the permit application and obtain the required food safety training certifications prior to July 1, 2010.

JCCHS will continue to offer Food Safety Training for managers and food handlers at no charge. Establishments may utilize these classes or adopt there own in- house program to meet the training requirements of the Food Ordinance. Non-profit organizations are encouraged to participate in these free classes as well. Online classes are also available through the JCCHS website, www.johnsoncountyhealth.org.

To read the Johnson County Code of Health Regulations, the Missouri Food Code, see a schedule of food safety classes or to obtain a Food Establishment Permit Application visit the Johnson County Community Heath Services web site at www.johnsoncountyhealth.org or contact JCCHS at (660) 747-6121 ext. 258.

Spring showers bring more than May flowers; they also bring a host of fresh fruits and vegetables. Johnson County has several produce stands as well as Farmers Markets where a variety of locally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers, honey, jams, jellies, baked goods, farm fresh eggs and craft items are sold.

The Warrensburg Farmers Market is located at the corner of Holden and North Streets in Warrensburg. It is open Saturday mornings at 7 am to sell out beginning April 10th and Wednesday afternoons from 4pm to 6pm starting May 10th. For more information, call (660) 747-3989 or email wmainst@embarqmail.com.

The Holden Farmers Market is located in the Holden City Park on the east side of Holden along 58 Highway. It is open Saturday mornings from 7am to when they sell out starting June 5th. For more information, email info@holdenmarket.com or call (816) 597-3353.

The Farmers and Crafters Market in Leeton is located on Lee Street (2 Highway) South of the Sunflower Bank. It is open Friday evenings from 4pm to 8pm beginning April 9th. For more information call Dwayne Prince (660) 441-7245.

JCCHS often gets questions about what types of products in addition to whole un-cut produce may be sold at Farmers Markets. Other questions include what rules apply in Johnson County and will the new Food Ordinance require any changes.

There is a great variety of safe, good things to eat that can be sold at a Johnson County Farmers Market and meet the requirements of the MO Food Code & Johnson County Food Ordinance. Both state and local food codes allow sale of nonpotentially hazardous foods to be sold directly to end consumers.

Non-potentially hazardous foods include, but are not limited to; breads, cookies, Non-potentially hazardous foods include, but are not limited to; breads, cookies, fruit pies, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, honey, sorghum, cracked nuts, dry cookie, dry cake, dry bread and dry soup mixes.

To operate a non-inspected kitchen, producers of non-potentially hazardous foods must meet the following requirements:

• The seller is the individual actually producing the food or an immediate family member residing in the producer’s household with extensive knowledge about the food;
• The seller only sells, samples or serves the food directly to the end consumer;
• During the sale, sampling or serving of jam, jelly, honey or unpackaged individual portions of non-potentially hazardous foods, a placard shall be displayed in a prominent location stating the following “This food is prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to inspection by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services”;
• All packaged non-potentially hazardous foods bear a label stating: name and address of the producer, common name of the food, a list of all ingredients in the food, a statement that “This product is prepared in a kitchen that has not been inspected by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services”;
• It is recommended but not required that honey be labeled “Honey is not recommended for infants less than twelve (12) months of age” and
• Home canned foods may not be sold due to the danger of Botulism. Canning and vacuum packaging facilities are regulated and must be inspected.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture requires an Egg License to sell eggs at a Farmers Market or retail store. A license may be obtained by visiting their web site http://mda.mo.gov/weights/device/pdf/ egglicapp.pdf. Eggs should be collected daily, cleaned and stored at 41° F or below, sold in clean cartons that are labeled with the producer name, address and date collected. No license is required to sell eggs to an individual at the farm. If eggs are transported/delivered, to the customer an egg license is required.

Raw unpasteurized milk or milk products may NOT be sold at Farmers Markets or retail stores. Individual sale of farm fresh milk and direct delivery to customers’ homes is permitted. Contact the Missouri Department of Agriculture for information on selling raw milk.

Meats may be sold at Farmers Markets if the animals are slaughtered and butchered in a Missouri Department of Agriculture or US Department of Agriculture approved facility. Custom butchered meats labeled NOT FOR SALE may not be sold. The meat cannot be repackaged and must bear safe food handling label along with the approved establishment USDA number/ identification label. The meat must be stored and transported in a refrigerator capable of maintaining the meat at 41°F or below. Transporting and selling the meat frozen (below 0°F) is preferred.

With the onset of spring, many residents will be outside enjoying the weather and working in their yards. In addition to planting flowers and sowing grass seed, now is the time to prepare for the upcoming mosquito season. Since the arrival of West Nile Virus (WNV) to Johnson County in 2002, the Johnson County Community Health Services (JCCHS) has urged residents every spring to control standing water around their homes in order to reduce the number of mosquitoes.

While there have only been 2 confirmed cases of WNV in Johnson County since 2003 there have been 291 cases with 24 deaths in Missouri.

Many more people are affected by WNV than is reported as the majority of the people have mild symptoms, such as headaches or fevers. Symptoms are often not severe enough to cause a person to visit the doctor and therefore are not diagnosed. Besides humans, this disease affects several other species including horses and birds. There is a vaccination available for horses. Horse and pet bird owners should talk to their veterinarian about what they can do to protect their pets from WNV.

Mosquitoes need standing (still, stagnant) water to reproduce. The best, most cost effective, least hazardous way to control mosquitoes is to prevent standing water. Trash such as cups and empty potato chip bags have been found to contain hundreds of mosquito larvae.

Anything that can hold a half-inch of water for more than 5 days needs to be eliminated, drained or cleaned. Home owners should clean out gutters, check flat roofs for proper drainage and insure the water is channeled away from the foundation and not allowed to pool. This will not only help to control mosquitoes but reduce moisture and mold problems in buildings. Old tires, trash, used equipment and appliances should be eliminated.

Drain decorative yard ornaments, flowerpots and recycling containers by drilling holes in their bases. Change the water in pet bowls daily and in birdbaths twice a week. Clean livestock water troughs weekly. Cover, drain or maintain chlorine residual in pools to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Fish in farm ponds and decorative water features are usually enough to control breeding mosquitoes in these situations. To control mosquitoes in sewage lagoons, ponds or in areas subject to seasonal flooding, use a product that contains Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis. Several local feed and hardware stores sell these products in a doughnut shape or granular form.

In addition to controlling standing water around their homes, residents can avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by:

1. Wearing long sleeves, pants and a hat.
2. Avoid being outside during times ofheavy mosquito feeding—dawn and dusk.
3. Treating clothing with a repellent containing Permethrin
4. Cover exposed skin with an insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin.

Public health officials are often asked about alternatives to DEET and if it is safe for pregnant women and children to use. Recent studies indicate that DEET is safe to use when applied according to directions. More information about the safety of DEET can be found on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/ westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm.

Small children often forget to wash their hands and will put their fingers in their mouths. For this reason, parents should apply repellents regardless if it contains DEET, picaridin or “natural” ingredients. Non-DEET repellents have to be applied more often and have been shown not to be as effective.

Johnson County may not be the tropics but a spring time mosquito cleanup must become a part of our annual routine along with surveying after rain to eliminate standing water if we are to control WNV. Besides eliminating a disease threat, eliminating mosquitoes will make spending time outdoors more enjoyable.

Additional information about the West Nile Virus can be found at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services web site at www.dhss.mo.gov and on the CDC web site at www.cdc.gov.

Now that the spring seems to have finally arrived, many people will be out mowing, trimming and generally cleaning up property and landscaping. Besides beautifying the property, removing the trash and debris that can hold water is an important way to reduce the mosquito population and prevent mosquito borne illnesses. Some things to consider when cleaning up your property is how to properly dispose of the waste.

Johnson County Community Health Services (JCCHS) encourages all residents and businesses in Johnson County to reuse, recycle and compost waste whenever possible. When this is not possible, the waste should be disposed in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulations so as not to pollute the air, soil and water.

burned in the county but a better alternative is to chip, shred and compost these materials. Compost makes excellent fertilizer and soil amendment; while tree limbs can be used for mulch. Small brush piles left along a fence-row may provide habitat for wildlife. Alternatives to burning are available on the EPA web site at www.epa.gov. A permit to burn leaves and brush is required within the city limits of Warrensburg, Holden and Knob Noster.

Studies by the EPA concluded that the open burning of household trash releases dangerous pollutants into the air. Because of the lower combustion temperatures, trash burned at private homes burns less efficiently than waste from a municipal incinerator, releasing high levels of dangerous pollutants, including dioxins, volatile organic compounds, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, hydrogen chloride and naphthalene. Open burning exposes individuals to toxic emissions that may irritate the eyes, skin and upper respiratory tract. It can also depress the central nervous system leading to severe headache, dizziness and fatigue. Additional information on the dangers of backyard burning can be found on the web at www.epa.gov/msw/ backyard.

If residents choose to burn household trash and yard waste, they should ensure that it is done in a safe manner. It is recommended that the fire be at least 75 feet from structures; be on a concrete pad or gravel; attended at all times; started small without the use of flammableliquids; and have a water hose, rake and a shovel available to contain the fire. The Johnson County Commission will periodically issue burn bans during drought conditions due to the high fire danger. During these burn bans, no burning may occur.

Residents may NOT burn tires, rubber, painted wood, treated wood, boats, vehicles, mobile homes, furniture or buildings at any time.

State regulations prohibit any waste generated by a business, trade, industry, or any demolition operation from being burned or buried onsite. This includes, but is not limited to paper, cardboard boxes, pallets, tires, rubber products, hazardous materials, Styrofoam, plastics, vinyl siding, petroleum based products, asbestos containing material and treated wood.

Prior to conducting burning under DNR special provisions check with DNR to ensure all requirements are being met. The Kansas City Regional Office may be contacted at 816-622- 7000. Fact sheets may be viewed at the DNR publications web site at http://www.dnr.mo.gov/pubs/ index.html. Common violations committed during agricultural operations are starting the fire with tires or petroleum products and burning a large amount of brush or grass land at one time thus impairing the visibility of motor vehicles or planes. A property owner who is burning for agricultural operations in compliance with DNR and the Air Conservation Law could still be cited by the Highway Patrol if the amount of smoke generated impedes traffic.

Junk cars, old farm machinery, metal boats and appliances can be turned into cash at one of the counties scrap metal dealers. Most scrap metal dealers will provide the names of individuals that will pick up and haul items for you. Besides saving and reusing valuable metals, this helps keep the community looking good and puts money into the local economy.

Aluminum, metal cans, plastic soda & milk bottles, cardboard, newspaper, office paper and magazines can be recycled at the Johnson County Sheltered Workshop located at 607 Ridgeview Drive in Warrensburg or call (660)747-7990. The City of Holden Recycling Center is located on N. Buffalo St. They accept paper, cardboard and milk jugs from 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday thru Friday.

Tire recycling and disposal facilities can be found on the Missouri Department of Natural Resources web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/tires/ tirelist.htm. Private property owners that have between 500 and 10,000 used tires may contact DNR’s Solid Waste Management Program’s Scrap Tire Unit at 573-526-3909 to have them cleaned up for free.

Tire recycling and disposal facilities can be found on the Missouri Department of Natural Resources web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/tires/ tirelist.htm. Private property owners that have between 500 and 10,000 used tires may contact DNR’s Solid Waste Management Program’s Scrap Tire Unit at 573-526-3909 to have them cleaned up for free.