PHOENIX, AZ - As the temperatures start cooling down throughout the Northern Hemisphere, Arizona claims its spot as one of the winter lettuce capitals of the United States. With November well underway, the state’s farming community and Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (AZ LGMA) are celebrating the harvest of lettuce and leafy greens, which will take place until March.
“Right now, Arizona farms are actively growing and harvesting all leafy greens from Iceberg and Romaine to spinach and spring mix,” said Teressa Lopez, Administrator of the Arizona LGMA program. “Arizona LGMA food safety audits will begin this week and continue regularly throughout our growing season.”
To celebrate the start of harvest, Arizona’s Governor Hobbs has proclaimed November 2023 as Arizona Leafy Greens month, a release explained. This is the 11th annual celebration. Throughout that time, Arizona farmers have produced more than 99 billion servings of lettuce (based on the average production of 9 billion servings per year).
As the AZ LGMA stated in the release, Arizona farmers grow approximately 25 percent of the total U.S. lettuce supply yearly. On an annual basis, the leafy greens farming community in Arizona generates a $2 billion impact.
To honor the state’s impact, throughout November, Arizona LGMA is partnering with Yuma Fresh Produce Council to celebrate through various outreach activities. This includes attending local community events and partnering with food influencers to share information about Arizona leafy greens on social media.
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