IRVINGTON, NY - The fresh produce industry is continuing down the path of growth and change, and for BrightFarms that means appointing a new leader. The grower recently announced that Jackie Hawkins has been promoted to the role of Director of Food Safety and Quality, where she will work alongside Josh Norbury, Senior Vice President of Operations, to continue advancing the department.
“Food safety is a personal passion that I’ve dedicated my career to, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to step into my expanded role,” said Hawkins. “I’m thrilled that I have the opportunity to work for a company that places food safety at the center of everything we do. I look forward to continuing to advance our leading protocols and providing our consumers with the safest, freshest, and most nutritious greens on the market.”
Hawkins joined BrightFarms in 2016, and in her time with the company has helped design and implement a comprehensive food safety program for indoor farming while also maintaining close relationships with leading food experts across the industry.
In her new position, Hawkins will oversee all aspects of food safety and quality assurance as BrightFarms continues to drive forward its plans for rapid growth in new markets, according to a release from the company. As Director of Food Safety and Quality, Hawkins will be responsible for the development and execution of food safety protocols across BrightFarms’ five facilities, as well as coordinating customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
“Under Jackie’s leadership, BrightFarms is delivering the safest and freshest leafy greens to the nation’s largest retailers,” said Norbury. “She has built an industry-leading food safety program for the indoor production of leafy greens, and our rigorous protocols have set the standard for other companies in our space. We are fortunate to have her leadership and expertise as we continue to grow.”
In addition to her work at BrightFarms, Hawkins led the development of the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Food Safety Coalition, an independent, member-governed organization comprised of controlled environment leafy greens growers who subject their production processes to external audit. She also led BrightFarms’ early adoption of IBM’s Food Trust Platform, which enhances traceability through blockchain technology.
Congratulations to Jackie Hawkins on her promotion!
