By WWH Chief of Staff, and Medical Director, Lifestyle Medicine Program, Dr. Kathleen Findlay, MD, MPH, MHCDS, Diplomate-ABFM, ABOIM, ABLM; CYT-200

BALDWIN, WI – On December 17, 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced that they were seeing a greater than usual number of outbreaks for the norovirus season. It seems that this norovirus season is continuing.

You might know norovirus as the “stomach flu.” Norovirus is not actually an influenza or “flu” virus, but a different type of virus, of which there are many varieties. It is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks and the number one cause of vomiting and diarrhea. Unfortunately, even if you have had norovirus before, you can get it again. Anyone can get norovirus, but children younger than 5 years old, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe infections.

Norovirus is found in the stool or vomit of someone who is infected. It can be on a person’s hands and spread by touching them or something they have touched and then touching your mouth. It can also be spread by eating or drinking something that is contaminated with norovirus.

Symptoms of norovirus usually begin 12-48 hours after being exposed and commonly include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Occasionally, people will have low-grade fever, chills, headache, body aches, and/or fatigue.

While most people recover in 1-3 days, norovirus is very contagious and spreads easily.  There is no treatment for norovirus—it is very important to drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration. Someone who has had norovirus can still spread the virus for weeks after they feel better. This can lead to outbreaks in settings such as nursing homes, day care centers, schools, and cruise ships.

Prevention is key with norovirus, and the most important step is handwashing, particularly after using the bathroom/changing diapers and before touching food. People with vomiting and diarrhea should stay home and should not handle food for 48 hours after symptoms are gone.  If someone in your home is sick, clean and disinfect surfaces that they have been in contact with and wash their laundry in hot water.

References: cdc.gov/norovirus/about/index.html. Norovirus | Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Submitted by Amanda Connelly, St. Croix EDC Administrative Assistant 

HUDSON, WI – The food industry is in Doug Audette’s blood. A year and half ago, Audette signed on as CEO assuming the helm at Ciranda, a leading North American provider of certified organic, non-GMO and fair-trade ingredients based in Hudson, Wisconsin.

His resume includes more than 30 years of general management, sales, marketing and operational experience primarily in the food industry sector. Audette joined a company that has experienced consistent growth commensurate with its role as a leader in the organic food industry.

Ciranda won the St. Croix Economic Development Corporation’s 2023 Business of the Year award in February of 2024. The company specializes in gluten-free flours and starches; syrups and sweeteners; cocoas and chocolates; coconut products; liquid and powdered lecithin; and vegetable oils.

Ciranda was formed in 1994 by Brazilian-born entrepreneur Hans Friese and his wife Joan dedicated to the premise that organic food and farming was better for the planet and for the people inhabiting the planet.

Risk – Balancing pragmatic considerations with human relationships.

On the other side of the equation Ciranda’s success depends on a single fundamental challenge, its ability to fill an order by securely moving a physical commodity from one part of the world to another. In today’s climate of global unrest that challenge is fraught with risk.

“It’s a challenge. From a very pragmatic business standpoint, it’s about having contingency plans. So, with any given ingredient, we try to have more than one supplier and usually located in more than one geography,” Audette explained, “For example, if something happened in Pakistan, can we get the rice syrup from Vietnam?”

Once the ingredient is secured, transporting it to the U.S. can still be very challenging.

Audette cites several current challenges on the horizon: water levels in the Suez and Panama canals becoming too low to navigate; and the potential for labor strikers at east coast ports.

“There’s a lot of risk in logistics, just plain old getting stuff from here to there around the world,” he said. “We start by forecasting what our customers are going to need. Then we look at the risk and assess ‘do we need to get ahead of that? Do we need to carry a little bit more of that inventory so that if the port strikes happen on the East Coast later this year we aren’t left saying ‘Oh we can’t service our customers.’”

Beyond the logistical challenges of shipping and inventory the perception is that the world is in turmoil and it’s a dangerous place to do business. Unpredictable events beyond your control from climate change to political upheaval to military incursions can stress relationships with processors and farmers.

Caring for those communities, keeping those relationships safe and productive while dealing with circumstances beyond your control requires a combination of faith and mitigation.

“Those situations are out of our control. There are a lot of human relationships at play requiring timely compassionate judgment. We need to determine how we can leverage our long-standing relationships to mitigate the risks around some of these situations,” Audette said.

He believes that under stress, the mettle of those relationships comes to the fore with transparent communication and collaboration.

“I think it matters when there are businesses like ours working with businesses like the ones we have on both sides and we’re having really productive conversations, establishing that we care about each other. I think that matters and that those relationships ripple out in all directions,” he said.

Ciranda’s long-term investment in these communities can have a stabilizing effect. The financial advantages of organic farming and fair-trade practices lead to the building of schools, water and sanitation infrastructure, access to medical services and better nutrition to strengthen the community ahead of the storm.

A culture of sharing – Ciranda also makes direct investment in projects locally and globally.

The company became 100 percent employee owned in 2017. At the time Founder Hans Friese said, “Our employees inspire us every day with their passion and creativity. The ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) allows us to transition the company into the hands of those who have helped build it, and those who will join us in the future.”

An enduring commitment to the philosophy of “We do well when they do well,” is reflected in the company’s commitment to donate 2.5 percent of its profits annually to projects like a new school in Pakistan.

In 2022 Ciranda teamed up with TCF-USA to build and operate a much-needed school in Karachi, Sindh Province, Pakistan. The $20,000 contribution toward construction and operation of the school for the first two years was made possible by the owner employees of Ciranda who donate 2.5 percent of their company’s profits each year to projects locally and globally.

Ciranda’s sales have increased by 34 percent from 2019 -2024, Organic still makes up 80 percent and fair trade certified is up to around 50 percent.

“We had record years through the COVID-19 spike when everybody was loading in ingredients. 2024 will be our second-best year behind those years. We’re on a good track,” Audette said.

Looking ahead he wants to strengthen the customer side of the equation.

“Strategically we’re starting to evolve and mature the organization working to build that same kind of depth on the customer side of the equation. Operationally, doing more things with technology and business processes. We’re getting the right team in place to do an even better job of connecting customers with suppliers.”

Biggest challenge – The global state of unrest poses an outsized risk to the future security and feasibility of Ciranda’s 100 percent import-based business. Audette recognizes that it is prudent to consider other options.

“One of the things that we are looking at, is are there some domestic ingredients that we could get into to diversify a little bit. We have a lot to offer to other companies to help them become successful in terms of our connections, sales and marketing and customer service resources,” he said.

For Audette, determining the path forward always comes back to people, the farmers, manufacturers and customers but more importantly, the team he works with every day. Their character, curiosity and courage inspire his optimism.

“We’re always going to have situations that are challenging. The best we can do is work to mitigate it, collaborate and communicate and there’s nobody I’d rather be going through those challenges with than this team. We have great people who care about each other. Maybe we need to change how we look at these situations and recognize how blessed we are to be working together. What happens next is totally up to us.”

Just the Facts: Ciranda, Inc., Doug Audette – CEO. Formed: 1994. Address. 708 2nd Street, Hudson, WI 54016, phone – 715-386-1737, Website: https://ciranda.com. Employees: 60.

Submitted by Shannon Haydin, DNR Storm Water Runoff Section Manager

MADISON, WI – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Wisconsin Salt Wise invite the public to learn more about the impacts of road salt on our drinking water and freshwater ecosystems during Winter Salt Awareness Week, Jan. 27-31, 2025.

Winter Salt Awareness Week will include a series of YouTube livestreams featuring speakers and topics focused on the true impacts of salt and ways to be a freshwater advocate.

Speakers include Abby Hileman (Izaak Walton League of America), Jess Hua (University of Wisconsin-Madison), public works professionals from across the country and a panel of experts providing salting policy perspectives from New Hampshire, Ohio and Minnesota.

Register in advance or watch afterward on the Wisconsin Salt Wise YouTube Channel.

The Impacts Of Too Much Salt – Although salt keeps Wisconsin roads safe during winter, using more salt than needed comes at a price. In Wisconsin and much of the U.S., chlorides from salt are infiltrating lakes, streams and groundwater. According to Wisconsin Salt Wise, one teaspoon of salt is all it takes to make five gallons of water toxic for freshwater organisms.

The DNR measures chloride levels in Wisconsin rivers over time. Recent studies have shown a steep increase in chloride loads. In the early 2000s, the DNR measured about 600,000 tons of chlorides annually. By 2018, that number increased to nearly 800,000 tons per year. Fifty rivers and streams and one lake in Wisconsin have been designated as impaired by high chloride concentrations, primarily from salt used during winter.

“All 43 of the long-term trend water quality monitoring sites across Wisconsin are showing increases in chlorides,” said Shannon Haydin, DNR Storm Water Section Manager. “Chlorides persist in the environment forever and cause significant impacts to fish, aquatic life and human health. In Wisconsin we are seeing evidence of Fresh Water Salinization Syndrome which is a condition where our freshwater becomes more like ocean water in terms of its saltiness. Now is the time to make a change and reduce salt use when we can.”

These increased chloride loads are partly due to road salting, but chlorides also enter Wisconsin waters because of water softeners and fertilizers. Find out if your softener is salt wise with this diagnostic tool online at: https://wisaltwise.com/Take-Action/Home-Water-Softeners.

Increased chloride levels have significant impacts on our daily lives, including environmental and economic effects. Nationwide, winter salt causes $5 billion in damage to infrastructure each year, causing corrosion of bridges, roads and other infrastructure. Road salt can also impact pets by causing irritated paws or other health concerns if ingested.

In Wisconsin, 39% of the community wells exceeded the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ recommended sodium level for individuals on a low-salt diet of 20 mg/L at least once since 2004. This can mean individuals managing diseases by limiting salt intake may take in more salt than they may be accounting for.

Salt Tips For Wisconsin Residents – Reducing salt use is critical to decreasing chloride loads. Follow these steps to right-size your salt use:

• Shovel: Clear walkways and other areas before the snow turns to ice. The more snow removed manually, the less salt you will need and the more effective it will be.
• Scatter: When using salt, scatter it so there is space between the grains. A 12-ounce coffee mug of salt is enough to treat an entire 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares. If you see oversalting, Wisconsin Salt Wise offers some simple steps to help educate others about salt.
• Switch: Salt is much less effective when pavement temperatures drop below 15 degrees. Switch to sand for traction or a different ice melter that works at lower temperatures.

Statewide Reduction Efforts – The DNR works to reduce chlorides at the source through permitting programs for municipalities and industries. These measures include tuning or replacing water softeners, identifying significant chloride contributors and finding reductions, process efficiencies or improvements by instituting sewer use ordinances.

Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation works with Wisconsin counties to reduce road salt application using brine and pre-wetting road surfaces, significantly reducing salt use.

For more information on the DNR’s efforts to monitor chlorides and reduce their effects, visit the DNR’s Salt and Storm Water webpage.