Posts By: Gustavo Reyes
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2025 LGMA Amendment Process Update
During the month of February and March, Western Growers facilitated the California LGMA priority setting process. On March 27, 2025, the CA LGMA approved the following two priorities: Water Section Review: Continue the review of water, started last year, with the following objectives. Simplify and clarify requirement language to enhance understanding. Assess the metrics from…
CDC Report Highlights Contributing Factors for Foodborne Illness
On March 13, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a comprehensive report analyzing foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S. from 2014 to 2022. The report, released in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), examined 2,677 outbreaks and identified key contributing factors that led to contamination. Below are a few takeaways from the report: …
Losing NACMCF: What it Means for Food Safety
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) is a U.S. federal advisory committee that provides scientific expertise on microbiological food safety issues. Since 1988, the NACMCF has been instrumental in enhancing food safety standards in the U.S. Experts from various sectors, including government, trade associations, industry and academia, have played a crucial…
Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus Resources
What is the Avian Influenza A (H5N1) virus? Avian Influenza A is a contagious viral infection that primarily affects birds. The virus is widespread in wild birds around the world. Recently, it has begun causing outbreaks among U.S. poultry and dairy cows, with human cases emerging in poultry and dairy workers. Status (updated 12-31-2024): In the U.S., all 50 states have reported…
Data 101: Is your data dirty?
In today’s data-driven world, analyzing and learning from data is essential for effective decision-making. However, one of the biggest challenges in data analysis is how the data is organized. Poorly structured or unclean data makes analysis difficult, requiring significant time, effort and expertise to clean and format it for meaningful insights. The cleaner your data is from the start, the…
Harvesting Equipment and Hygienic Design: 7 Steps for Cleaning and Sanitation
Maintaining clean and sanitary harvesting equipment is critical to food safety and operational efficiency. Follow these 7 essential steps to ensure your equipment is properly cleaned and sanitized: Step 0: Preparation Remove all product, supplies and waste from the area. Relocate equipment to prevent cross-contamination. Inspect and report any abnormal…
Leafy Green Desert Food Safety Tour
On January 13th, 2025, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) staff, including the Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones, participated in an informative and collaborative tour of the agricultural regions in Yuma, Arizona, and Imperial Valley, California. The visit was hosted by the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) and brought together industry leaders, trade…
Sustainable Data Management: What is it and why does it matter?
In today’s world, data is the driver for progress and innovation. From tracking soil health to assessing water quality, to guiding regulatory decisions and tracking microbiological trends, data helps improve efficiency and decision making. I have recently been polishing my modeling skills by reading a book in modeling techniques by Max Kuhn and Julia Silge. What I was reminded of is that the…
Join Today: WG Data Cultivation Workgroup
Are you ready to learn about data, collaborate on projects and meet other data enthusiasts? Join the data cultivation workgroup (DCW) this new year. The DCW is more than a group – it’s a community of forward-thinkers, problem-solvers and collaborators. By joining, you will: Build Knowledge: Improve your data literacy and skills through expert presentations and peer…
Cucumber Food Safety FAQs and Resources
Cucumbers are one of the most popular and important commodities in the U.S. with approximately 2.8 billion pounds being available for consumption every year. Nevertheless, most of the cucumber availability is from foreign origin. In 2023, the U.S. produced approximately 337 million pounds and imported 2.54 billion pounds (89 percent of the cucumbers consumed in the United States). Figure…
Onion Food Safety FAQs and Resources
Last updated 11/1/2024 According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, onions rank among the top-produced commodities in the U.S., with 166,000 acres harvested that year. In 2023, 28 percent of onions were produced in Washington State, 26 percent from California and 19 percent from Oregon. (USDA , NASS) As reported in the Vegetables and Pulses Yearbook Tables, in 2023, 20.8 percent of the…
Join Us for the Third Data Cultivation Workgroup Meeting on October 9th
Are you passionate about data science and its potential to transform the produce industry? Whether you’ve attended our previous meetings or are joining us for the first time, we welcome you to our next Data Cultivation Workgroup meeting. Details of the Meeting: Date: Wednesday, October 9, 2024 Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Location: Virtual (Register here) This meeting…
From Chaos to Clarity: The Key to Reliable Testing and Data Collection for Meaningful Data Analysis Webinar
Join us for an insightful webinar focused on improving data quality in produce safety through standardized data collection and understanding the impact of methodological differences. This session will feature two key presentations: Dr. Claire Murphy, Dr. Laura Strawn and Dr. Michelle Danyluk will present their study on the critical need for standardized data collection for water data.…
Explore GreenLink®: Core Features and Live Demo Webinar
Explore GreenLink®: Core Features and Live Demo Webinar This session will provide a comprehensive overview of GreenLink’s core functionalities and features, followed by an exclusive live demonstration of the GreenLink dashboard. The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session to address questions and explore how GreenLink can advance the field of food safety. Don’t miss the chance to…
Preview of the Upcoming Data Cultivation Workgroup Meeting on August 14th
Following a successful inaugural meeting on June 12, 2024, where participants engaged in meaningful discussions on data science, shared innovative project ideas and explored potential guest speaker opportunities, the next session is now open for registration. The August 14, 2024, session will feature: Discussions on Data Sharing Best Practices Projects NCBI Pathogen Detection…
WG Science: Sampling and Testing Integrity Workshop
Sampling and Testing Integrity Workshop This comprehensive, one-day event is designed for industry professionals seeking to enhance their expertise in critical areas such as the science of sampling, maintaining testing integrity and understanding AOAC programs. Attendees will gain practical insights into advanced testing tools and programs that can improve the reliability and accuracy of…
Three Resources for Members for Agricultural and Food Safety Data
Staying informed about production trends, economic information and food safety is extremely important for grower operations. Data analysis helps in making informed decisions regarding farm management, production and food safety. This article highlights three resources that provide valuable insights into trends in the produce world and food safety: the Census of Agriculture, along with the U.S.…
WG Science: Impact of Food Waste: Environmental and Economic Insights Webinar
Join us for a webinar with Dr. Zach Conrad from William and Mary University. Dr. Conrad will discuss the environmental and economic impacts of food waste, using data-driven approaches highlighted in his research. He will explore the relationship between food waste, diet quality, and sustainability. Event Details: Date: July 30, 2024 Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT Location:…
Resources for the FSMA Food Traceability Rule
In September 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods” (the Traceability Rule or FSMA Rule 204), proposing regulations mandating the establishment and sharing of food production-related records to shorten the FDA’s investigations of outbreaks when they occur. By Jan. 20, 2026, all companies that are subject…
Resources: FSMA Final Rule of Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water
On June 24th, 2024, Western Growers, along with the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association and Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association hosted a webinar on FSMA’s Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water. The webinar featured the following expert guest speakers: Kruti Ravaliya from the U.S…