Food production pest trends: what you should know

We sat down with Technical Service Manager, Todd Johnson, to get the latest pest trends and insights in the food production and agriculture industries. With these learnings in mind, you can have the upper hand in protecting your facility from unwanted insect intruders.

Q: What are the major trends you see in the food production industry when it comes to pests?

A: The most common trends revolve around sanitation. Poor sanitation can lead to major pest issues. In food production: trash, food debris, weeds, standing water/leaking water, and spillage material around rendering section of facilities. In agriculture: food/product spillage, weeds, litter/bedding management for poultry houses, manure management for barns, and moisture/standing water issues.

Structural issues for both food production and agriculture include gaps around pipes, walls, windows, and doors, as well as damaged screens. Another factor to consider is not having the right pest management program to fit the facility’s needs. For example, having a program that only covers one type of fly rather than a fully functional program that services both small and large flies.

Q: How can a pest infestation impact food production facilities?

A: Pests like cockroaches and rodents can spread bacteria that can cause salmonella, staphylococcus, and streptococcus, creating unsanitary conditions that can lead to low employee morale, regulatory fines, and in some cases immediate facility shutdowns.

Q: What are the more commonly reported pests in this segment? 

A:  Large flies, rodents, and cockroaches in the food production areas, and stored product pests, mice, and rats in the grain section. Pest pain points in these facilities that plant managers may not be aware of include birds, hide beetles, and phorid flies which are typically found near drains and other harborage areas such as floor cracks and crevices.

Q: What are common high-risk areas for pests in food production facilities?

A: For food production, the live kill (slaughter) area, rendering, waste disposal area, and retention ponds are all attractive spots for pests.

Q: What can food production plant managers do to decrease the risk of an infestation in their facility?

A: Creating and maintaining a working partnership not only with pest management Technicians but with key personnel from other facility departments is critical. The maintenance team will see the issues in hard-to-reach areas way before anyone else. But in order to do so, they must know what to look for and recognize the importance of reporting such activity. It is also very important to have sanitation workers that will clean those difficult-to-reach areas when no one is watching. Tasks like these are vital to keeping pest populations under control. 

Rentokil protects food production facilities from pests

Rentokil offers highly effective exclusion and removal pest control solutions specifically for businesses in the food production industry. Our experts use an Integrated Pest Management approach to provide services and products that save you from the headache and high-cost repairs of a pest infestation. Learn more about how we can partner with your business to keep pests out of your facility.