The Know

On February 28, 2019, Western Growers hosted a webinar related to ongoing work that addresses the use of water in agricultural settings. This webinar is part of the Western Growers amendment process that facilitates potential changes to the leafy green food safety guidelines utilized by the California and Arizona Leafy Green Marketing Agreements (LGMAs). A copy of the presentation slides and webinar recording can be accessed below.

WG has been leading a project to release a fully-revised version of the LGMA-approved metrics. As part of this project, 4 listening session and one webinar have been hosted to allow impacted parties to provide feedback. This effort is beyond the current annual LGMA-approved metrics amendment process managed by WG. This initiative incorporates peer-reviewed research presented at the Center of Produce Safety Symposiums, input from an independent expert review panel, the Harmonized Food Safety Standard and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Produce Safety Rule.

Western Growers hosted a webinar early in January 2016 and also presented proposed changes to the leafy green metrics to the California LGMA Technical Committee on January 12th and the Arizona LGMA Technical Subcommittee on January 25th. During the Arizona and California LGMA leadership meeting hosted on January 29, these proposed changes were considered/approved in California only. Arizona will consider/discuss them later this year. Best practices related to the management of cadmium in spinach fields are effective now in California, audits to verify them will start on April 1st.

Western Growers is hosting a webinar on January 8, 2016 to discuss proposed changes to the LGMA Accepted metrics. This presentation will offer an opportunity to discuss potential changes related to cadmium, to share the rationale behind them and to solicit industry input and feedback.

Everyone will be muted during this webinar. In order to have the opportunity to speak during our discussion, participants must enter their “PIN” number when they join the audio portion of this webinar. We will not be able to unmute participants who do not enter their PIN numbers.