FDA Human Foods Program leadership visited the Salinas Valley October 20–21 to meet with local fresh produce industry, trade association representatives, USDA and California and Arizona State leaders and partners about this summer’s Cyclospora outbreaks, risk communication and their 10 Planned Activities prior to the 2027 Growing Season for Cyclospora.
The visit included an industry reception, an agricultural technology tour at Reservoir Farms, and a roundtable at the USDA Sam Farr Research Center. Discussions addressed the outbreaks’ continued effects on California producers, the role and critical aspects of clear communication during crisis events to ensure consumer confidence and a discussion about the details within the FDA’s Cyclospora response plan to help prevent recurrence.
Industry representatives emphasized the need to learn from these events to improve outbreak communication and its coordination, regulatory oversight, risk prioritization and management regarding production areas known to be historically associated with Cyclospora and improve the system for better consumer-level communication around existing and evolving food safety management controls at the farm. A proactive discussion was held around how to improve communication between industry, state and federal regulators, as well as a collective focus on efforts that could improve speaking to consumers routinely about fresh produce food safety, versus during crisis events alone. A key discussion area focused on building trust in the system recognizing the importance of being able to communicate more clearly how growers assess hazards, implement preventive measures and verify that those measures are working.