Posts By: Sonia Salas
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Join Us for a Cantaloupe and Netted Melon Pilot Training in Indiana
Following the recent update of the National Food Safety Guidelines for Cantaloupe and Netted Melons, we are hosting a pilot training on September 22 in Indiana to support education and practical implementation of the guidelines. This guidance focuses on growing, harvesting, cooling, packing and transportation of whole cantaloupes and netted melons. The purpose of this pilot is to refine…
California Wildfire Season Resources
California’s wildfire season is underway, with normal to above-normal fire potential expected through September, particularly in Northern California’s mountainous areas and portions of the upper Sacramento Valley. Above-normal temperatures in Southern California and persistent dry conditions across much of the state will continue drying vegetation and increasing its susceptibility to fire.…
New Publication Explores Practical Agricultural Water Testing
A new peer-reviewed article, Agricultural Water Use in U.S. Fresh Produce Growing Operations – Part III: Setting the Foundation for Practical Agricultural Water Testing, examines how produce growers can use water sampling and microbial testing to strengthen risk-based agricultural water management. This article, third in a series, recaps current agricultural water quality guidelines and…
Join Us at the Partnership for Food Traceability Workshop in D.C.
The Partnership for Food Traceability (PFT) will host an in-person workshop Sept. 9-10, 2026, in Washington, D.C., focused on lot-level tracking and preparation for FSMA 204. The interactive workshop will bring together food supply chain stakeholders to explore implementation challenges and practical solutions related to capturing, maintaining and sharing traceability data. Discussions will…
FDA Finalizes Updated Food Safety Guidance for Ready-to-Eat Fresh-Cut Produce
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released final guidance for manufacturers and processors of ready-to-eat fresh-cut produce, including recommendations for controlling biological food safety hazards and complying with the Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) rule. The guidance applies to fresh fruits and vegetables that have been physically altered from their whole…
FDA Food Traceability Rule Training Course
Western Growers is hosting a Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) Traceability Rule Training. This in-person course is intended for fresh produce companies covered by the FDA’s Food Traceability Rule (FTR), including growers, harvesters and coolers of raw agricultural commodities (RACs) on the food traceability list, and all fresh-cut fruit and vegetable processors. The training…
New Report Examines Economic Impact of 2022–2023 Hepatitis A Strawberry Outbreaks
A new report published by Western Growers examines the economic and food safety implications of the 2022 and 2023 Hepatitis A outbreaks linked to imported strawberries. While both outbreaks were ultimately traced to a single foreign grower, the report found that California strawberry growers experienced an estimated $125 million in short-term wholesale revenue losses following the 2022…
Suzanne Devereaux-McKinstrie Named CPS’s Chief Executive Officer
The appointment of Suzanne Devereaux-McKinstrie as Chief Executive Officer for the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) was announced at the recent CPS Symposium hosted in Nashville, Tennessee. After leading international market development efforts and working extensively with growers, industry leaders and agricultural stakeholders to advance the mission of American Pistachio Growers,…
Traceability Requires Accountability Across the Entire Supply Chain
The more I learn about traceability implementation, the more I realize that no single segment of the supply chain can make traceability successful on its own; success depends on coordinated efforts from farm to fork. Western Growers recently submitted comments highlighting a gap in the Traceability Rule involving entities that coordinate the movement of food but do not take physical…
FDA Seeks Input on Traceability Flexibilities
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a discussion paper entitled “Identifying Additional Flexibilities for Satisfying the FTR’s Lot-Level Tracking Requirements” to support stakeholder engagement on potential flexibilities across the supply chain. The document outlines several concepts under consideration and seeks stakeholder feedback to help inform future…
House Committee Advances Bill to Expand FDA Authority Over Unsafe Food Imports
The House Energy and Commerce Committee recently advanced the bipartisan Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act (H.R. 2715) by a unanimous 43–0 vote. If enacted, the legislation would authorize FDA to destroy imported food products that have been refused entry and determined to pose a significant public health concern. Supporters argue the bill would help prevent "port shopping," or…
FDA Seeks Input on Traceability Flexibilities
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a discussion paper intended to support stakeholder engagement on potential flexibilities related to the Food Traceability Rule's lot-level tracking requirements. The document outlines several concepts under consideration and seeks stakeholder feedback to help inform future implementation discussions. Comments are due July 15,…
FDA’s Traceability Rule Pilots to Support Readiness are Announced
The Partnership for Food Traceability (PFT) has announced the launch of three industry pilot programs developed to help food businesses assess and strengthen their readiness for FDA's Food Traceability Rule, which takes full effect on July 20, 2028. As a public-private partnership bridging industry and the FDA, PFT advanced the design these pilot frameworks to give organizations a…
Food Traceability Rule Updates: FDA Discussion Paper Released and Stakeholder Engagement Opportunities
On May 27, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a discussion paper to encourage more detailed stakeholder engagement on potential flexibilities related to the lot-level tracking requirements under the final Food Traceability Rule, “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods.” The paper outlines key topics and questions intended to guide…
Mourning the Loss of Vicki Scott
On May 20, 2026, the fresh produce industry lost a truly influential leader whose impact extended far beyond Arizona and touched many across the industry. Vicki Scott played a leadership role in advancing solutions to address food safety and regulatory issues impacting the fresh produce industry, helping shape a more collaborative approach grounded in both science and practical…
FDA Releases Vision on Food Safety Best Practices and Collaboration
Food safety is a shared responsibility—a message the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) underscored in its recent Constituent Update. As part of FDA’s Human Foods Program 2026 Priority Deliverables, the FDA released two new web resources designed to support a prevention-based approach to food safety and strengthen collaboration across the food system. One resource…
Updated National Cantaloupe and Netted Melon Best Practices Guidance Document and Appendices Now Available
The updated national cantaloupe and netted melon best practices guidance document and supporting appendices are now available. The previous version of the document was released in March 2013, and this latest update reflects current practices, stakeholder input and ongoing industry efforts to support produce safety through practical, prevention-focused approaches. The effort to initiate the…
FDA Fresh Cucumber Sampling Assignment: Important Update for Members
Western Growers staff has learned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be conducting a cucumber sampling assignment over the next few months, impacting both domestic and foreign raw whole fresh cucumbers. Sampling is expected to take place at the retail and distribution supply chain level and at ports of entry from May 4, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2026. This assignment will focus on…
Food Protection Trends Article on Agricultural Water Risk Assessment Now Published
A peer-reviewed article on agricultural water risk assessment, developed by Western Growers Science in collaboration with several contributors, has been published in the May/June 2026 Food Protection Trends, offering practical insights to support growers as they continue to work through implementation of the current agricultural water requirements. On May 6, 2024, the U.S. Food and…
Industry-Driven Best Practices: Growing Engagement, More to Come
Before formal government guidance existed, the produce industry was already advancing food safety best practices. In 1997, in collaboration with partner trade associations, Western Growers released a foundational food safety best practices document, setting the stage for the government guidance that followed in 1998 and establishing that a prevention-focused approach is the smartest approach to…