Western Growers has formed a new Food Safety Advisory Subcommittee (FSAS) to bolster its efforts in solving produce safety challenges. FSAS members will advise the Food Safety Science and Technology Committee, which reports to the WG’s Board of Directors, while providing technical expertise and advice on science issues and industry regulations affecting the safety of ...
Since the inception of the California and Arizona Leafy Green Marketing Agreements, Western Growers has been at the forefront of developing and revising the written “Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production and Harvest of Lettuce and Leafy Greens” for the leafy greens industry in both states. The comment period for issues related to ...
In the investigative report on the fall 2020 outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified three key trends leading to the contamination of leafy greens by E. coli O157:H7 in recent years, with a focus on a recurring strain and adjacent land use. In this webinar, experts from FDA, California Department of Food ...
Recurrent outbreaks associated with leafy greens have increased concerns related to land uses adjacent to leafy green operations. Recently, the Fall 2020 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Investigation Report stated that based on their investigation, the likely contributing factor for pathogenic E. coli contamination of leafy greens has been the proximity of cattle. With the ...
The comment period for proposed changes to the LGMA-approved metrics related to Soil Amendments and Non-Synthetic Crop Treatments closes today. We encourage all stakeholders to submit proposed changes and comments here: https://www.leafygreenguidance.com/ On May 20, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. PT, Western Growers will host a web discussion surrounding all submissions received during the Soil…
The comment period for issues related to Adjacent Land Use/Production Locations (Issues # 14 and # 15 in the guidelines) is now open. All submissions are due on Thursday, May 27, 2021. If you are interested in submitting a revision to the Adjacent Land Use/Production Locations section, please visit leafygreenguidance.com. BACKGROUND ON GUIDELINE REVISIONS Since ...
On May 20, 2021, Western Growers is hosting a web discussion surrounding all submissions received during the Soil Amendments/Non-Synthetic Crop Treatments comment period. During this web discussion, proposed changes to the LGMA-approved metrics will be publicly presented by the corresponding submitter with open dialogue allowed for all attendees. We encourage all stakeholders to register today…
The leafy green sector continues to address challenges associated with the current leafy greens food safety landscape. Industry-wide collaborative efforts across government entities, trade associations, universities, and individual companies are imperative to address produce safety challenges. In this webinar, Western Growers, Arizona and California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements, Monterey…
On May 20, 2021, Western Growers is hosting a web discussion surrounding all submissions received during the Soil Amendments/Non-Synthetic Crop Treatments comment period. Please note that this webinar will now be from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PT (not the 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. timeframe previously advertised). During this web discussion, proposed changes to ...
On May 20, 2021, Western Growers is hosting a web discussion surrounding all submissions received during the Soil Amendments/Non-Synthetic Crop Treatments comment period. Please note that this webinar will now be from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PT (not the 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. timeframe previously advertised). During this web discussion, proposed changes to ...
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Newport outbreak that caused more than 1,600 reported illnesses in the United States and Canada between June and October 2020. The FDA worked with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state partners and Canadian officials to ...
Tomorrow, from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. PT, Western Growers is hosting the second part of the web discussion surrounding all submissions received during the Soil Amendments/Non-Synthetic Crop Treatments comment period. During this web discussion, proposed changes to the LGMA-approved metrics will be publicly presented by the corresponding submitter with open dialogue allowed for all ...
On May 27, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. PT, the comment period for issues related to Adjacent Land Use/Production Locations (Issues # 14 and # 15 in the guidelines) closes. Only submissions following the proper format and submitted before the deadline will be accepted. If you are interested in submitting a revision to the Adjacent Land ...
Western Growers (WG) has developed an industry guidance document, “Grower/Shipper/Handler Guide to Food and Drug Administration Assignment Sampling Visits,” which is available to WG members online here. This document is intended to provide information and suggested guidelines for WG members to follow during FDA sampling visits. Additionally, WG has revised the Salinas Valley Surveillance…
On June 9, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PT, Western Growers is hosting a web discussion surrounding all submissions received during the Adjacent Land Use/Production Locations comment period, which closed on May 27, 2021. During this web discussion, proposed changes to the LGMA-approved metrics will be publicly presented by the corresponding submitter with ...
Western Growers has received numerous updates about the COVID-19 and the vaccine. Below is a compilation of all the resources that apply to WG members: Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its “Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines,” with information regarding authorized use, side effects, ...
The Alliance for a Stronger FDA is hosting a webinar tomorrow with U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s food safety and animal health leadership, where they will discuss priorities and resource needs. Discussion topics of the webinar will include the New Era of Smarter Food Safety, the tenth anniversary of the Food Safety Modernization Act and ...
Today, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan, outlining FDA’s strategy for diminishing Cyclospora cayetanensis-caused foodborne illness from domestic and imported fresh produce. In response to recent outbreaks of cyclosporiasis and findings of Cyclospora, the FDA’s Cyclospora Task Force was created in 2019 and…
Western Growers members are invited to attend an educational roundtable tomorrow: the “Remote Regulatory Assessments: Understanding the Benefits of Voluntary Participation and Future Implications” webinar. During the webinar, Michael Rogers of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will discuss the results of the agency’s remote regulatory assessment pilot and potential next steps for…
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is of high interest for the produce industry because it can drive produce safety enhancements. In order to assist the fresh produce industry in root cause analysis decision making and implementation, Western Growers, in collaboration with other leading produce industry associations, developed and published two RCA industry guidance documents. The first ...