SACRAMENTO, CA - As a staple in fridges across the country, leafy greens deserve the utmost care along the supply chain. With this in mind, the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) has worked tirelessly to bring the safety of leafy greens to the forefront. Now furthering this mission, LGMA is launching an action list of 10 things being done to keep leafy greens safe.
“As we approach the fall transition when patterns have emerged in recent years, we’re all taking additional precautions to prevent potential problems,” Dan Sutton, General Manager at Pismo-Oceano Vegetable Exchange and Chairman of the LGMA, said in a blog post. “As farmers, we do everything possible to make sure our crops are farmed safely, and we’re working together with government, food safety experts, and the produce industry to keep people safe.”
The 10 implementations LGMA will focus on are as follows:
- LGMA food safety audits are ongoing during COVID-19
- The California LGMA is “heavying up” audits during the season transition
- LGMA requires 100 percent compliance
- 2019 irrigation water standards are being implemented and enforced
- New food safety updates approved by LGMA Board in August 2020
- State agencies are monitoring compost used on leafy greens farms
- Government inspectors are working to ensure farms are in compliance with the Produce Safety Rule
- New research projects are underway to learn more about potential risks involved in farming leafy greens
- The LGMA verifies with every audit that a traceability system is in place at all member companies
- The LGMA supports a Leafy Greens Traceability Pilot to improve traceback through the supply chain
“More improvements are coming in the near future,” Sutton continued. “Most importantly, we’re looking closely at the LGMA’s required food safety practices for the proximity of animals to leafy greens farms in light of findings from FDA investigations into past outbreaks. We have already increased buffer zones required between animal operations and our farms. Additional changes are being considered now by a special Adjacent Lands subcommittee of the LGMA.”
For more details pertaining to these 10 implementations, check out LGMA’s official blog post here.
Fresh produce protection is always at the forefront of our minds, so keep a tab open for ANUK to read up on the latest.
