January 15, 2025

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 associations, researchers and regulators to discuss advancements, efforts and challenges in produce safety. Western Growers staff participated in the tour and advanced discussions on the importance of co-existing agricultural operations and the need to advance holistic solutions to address food safety challenges. 

Tour highlights.  

  • Arizona Longitudinal Study and Yuma Agriculture: Participants gained valuable insights into the Southwest Region Longitudinal Study, an overview of Yuma’s agricultural landscape, including production trends and the Desert Food Safety Coalition’s ongoing initiatives to enhance agricultural practices. 
  • Water Treatment Demonstrations: The tour included a demonstration of the water treatment process, sampling and equipment. This highlighted industry efforts in maintaining food safety. 
  • Harvest Equipment Sanitation and Hygienic Design: The visit highlighted advancements in the hygienic design of harvesting equipment as well as a live demonstration of effective cleaning and sanitization techniques for harvest equipment. 
  • CAFO visits: The tour included visits to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in Yuma, Arizona, and Imperial, California, providing a look at practices and interactions with neighboring agricultural operations. They facilitated discussions or minimized potential food safety risks while promoting coexistence between plant and animal agriculture. 

Routable Discussions 

Gustavo Reyes, Food Safety Manager for Western Growers, provided an in-depth overview of data-sharing and collaboration initiatives through the GreenLink® platform and the CA LGMA Test & Learn Program. The presentation included a live demonstration of the GreenLink® system, showcasing its capabilities in enhancing data-driven decision-making for food safety. 

De Ann Davis, SVP of Science for Western Growers, moderated a roundtable featuring academics, industry representatives and government officials. The roundtable focused on critical food safety challenges, including setback distances for adjacent land use, water treatment practices and the impact of external pressures on growers. The participants emphasized the importance of promoting coexistence between plant and animal agriculture while addressing safety risks. The session highlighted the importance of collaboration to drive progress in food safety practices.