Modern agricultural production systems have become highly specialized and input-intensive models that boost food production and lower production costs. While this has allowed us to meet our rising food demand, it has led to environmental degradation. Moreover, these systems lack resilience and sustainability against higher supply costs and shifting environmental conditions. Integrated Crop Livestock Systems (ICLS) at the field level are an alternative that balances productivity with environmental responsibility by combining crop and animal rotations. Often incorporating practices such as cover crops, reduced or no-tillage and minimal external inputs. ICLS can improve soil health, enhance nutrient cycling, and improve resilience through diversification. Livestock is central to ICLS and can be adapted to farm specific needs. For small organic farmers, poultry is an attractive option due to its easy handling and regular production of meat or eggs. However, chickens can carry pathogens such as Salmonella.spp and Listeria monocytogenes, raising food safety concerns. With no specific guidelines for ICLS implementation, organic farmers are encouraged to follow the 90 -120 USDA National Organic Program (NOP) rule for application of raw manure. This research aims to clarify food safety implications when integrating poultry into specialty crops systems The study followed organic practices on organic land. Designed as a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split plots with poultry foraging on high or low cover crop residue, or no grazing as the main plot with tillage or no-tillage as the split plot factor. Chickens foraged for 5 weeks before processing for-carcass weight, meat yield and Salmonella.spp cecal prevalence. After chickens were removed from the cover crop, organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Granadero’) seedlings were planted. We measured tomato yield per plant. Prevalence of Salmonella Spp. was determined from cecal and soil and tomato surface samples at two-time points; directly after chicken removal at harvest (n= 348 environmental samples). Neither foraging nor tillage type had a significant effect on tomato yield, suggesting that animal integration is a viable option for cover crop management and farm diversification. After the chicken removal all environmental samples tested negative for Salmonella spp. At harvest, Salmonella appeared in 17 of 348 samples (4.88%), suggesting that integrating chickens does not necessarily elevate the risk of produce contamination and that other environmental factors affecting Salmonella prevalence should be further studied.
