Marianna Solorio of Bonipak Named Chairperson of GlobalG.A.P. US National Technical Working Group; Roberta Anderson Comments

CALABASAS, CA - The United States National Technical Working Group (NTWG) for GLOBALG.A.P. announces the appointment of Marianna Solorio, Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance at Bonipak Produce, as its new chairperson.

US NTWG shapes the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system in the US

GLOBALG.A.P. national technical working groups (NTWGs) provide opportunities for producers, retailers, certification bodies, food safety and sustainability experts, and other stakeholders to support the GLOBALG.A.P. certification system.

The US NTWG ensures audit efficiency, compliance accuracy, and the local relevance of GLOBALG.A.P. farm assurance solutions. A major focus area is supporting the adaptation of GLOBALG.A.P. standards in a US context through the development of national interpretation guidelines. These guidelines align GLOBALG.A.P. requirements with local regulations and structural conditions in the United States, helping producers and certification bodies implement and audit GLOBALG.A.P. standards.

Leadership transition for ongoing alignment in an evolving market

Marianna Solorio assumed the role of Chairperson on January 22, 2026. She is Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance at Bonipak Produce, a seed-to-sale agriculture company based in California. She has played a pivotal role in Bonipak’s engagement with GLOBALG.A.P. Under her leadership, the company has managed GLOBALG.A.P. certifications across thousands of acres, demonstrating commitments to food safety, traceability, environmental responsibility, and workers’ well-being. With extensive experience in ensuring compliance with food safety regulations and managing quality assurance, Solorio brings both technical expertise and leadership commitment to the role.

“My aim is to guide and channel the contributions of this incredibly talented and diverse working group to enhance national guidelines, expand on producer guidance, and foster a resilient, compliant, and quality-driven agriculture sector,” commented Solorio in the recent release. “Together we will bridge global standards with US farming practices and markets.”

Solorio succeeds long-standing chairperson Walter Ram of The Giumarra Companies who notably led the NTWG for over a decade – steering contributions to the development of multiple versions of the flagship GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard, the GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP) add-on, the Produce Handling Assurance standard and the integration of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) add-on into the GLOBALG.A.P. framework. Solorio will lead the NTWG’s ongoing work on these standards as well as GLOBALG.A.P. standards under development covering social and environmental topics.

Support from Bonipak and GLOBALG.A.P.

As a fully integrated operation supplying vegetables across North America, Bonipak understands the importance of globally respected farm assurance programs. Their membership in the GLOBALG.A.P. community, and contributions to its NTWG, showcases the value it places on industry collaboration to drive practical, scalable improvements in agriculture. “Marianna’s appointment reflects the confidence Bonipak has in her thoughtful, steady leadership,” said Ryan Reed, EVP and General Counsel of Bonipak. “She brings exceptional organizational discipline, a grounded and practical approach to problem‑solving, and a genuine commitment to developing the people around her. These qualities have strengthened Bonipak’s food‑safety programs, and will serve the National Technical Working Group well.”

“We are delighted for Marianna to step into this leadership role for the US NTWG after having actively engaged with us for many years” stated Roberta Anderson, President of GLOBALG.A.P. North America. “She takes the reins at an important time when GLOBALG.A.P. assurance solutions are embracing more environmental and social responsibility topics in addition to food safety - supporting our changing industry with streamlined and farmer-focused solutions.”