Measure to Improve, a Salinas, CA-based sustainability consulting firm solely focused on serving the fresh produce industry since 2014, is helping fresh produce companies prepare for the increasing number of Extended Producer Responsibility packaging laws emerging across the United States.

California, Colorado, Oregon, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington and Maine have each adopted different EPR frameworks, with varying producer definitions, reporting requirements, timelines and fee structures. For many fresh produce companies, the challenge is not simply understanding the regulations. It is identifying, organizing, and maintaining the operational and packaging data needed to comply across multiple states.

MTI’s EPR Readiness Solution helps build the internal systems, workflows and cross-functional coordination needed to manage the increasing EPR requirements over time.

“EPR is happening today. It’s not a future risk, and it’s forcing companies to answer operational questions that they were never structured to answer,” said Nikki Cossio, CEO and founder of Measure to Improve. “Packaging data often lives across procurement, operations, food safety, sales and accounting teams. The clients we have worked with are now able to bring that information together, establish ownership internally and create a process that can support ongoing compliance as requirements continue to evolve.”

MTI has been supporting fresh produce companies with EPR preparation for more than a year. California’s June 1, 2026, registration deadline accelerated activity across the produce industry, particularly as companies evaluate future reporting obligations and fee exposure tied to packaging materials.

In many operations, packaging specifications, bill-of-materials data, supplier information and sales reporting are managed across separate departments and systems. MTI’s EPR Readiness Solution helps companies identify required data, organize it for reporting, establish internal responsibilities and train teams to maintain the process.

The solution supports a wide range of produce packaging formats, including cartons, labels, trays, plastic film and clamshell packaging. Engagements with clients typically run for three months and are structured around operational readiness, data organization and long-term implementation planning.

The program is designed for companies operating across multiple EPR states, those with fragmented packaging and operational data systems and organizations navigating EPR requirements for the first time.

The International Fresh Produce Association has called for greater federal coordination of state EPR programs and transition timelines that reflect the operational realities of the fresh produce supply chain. Multiple states now have active reporting or registration requirements in place, and additional EPR legislation continues to advance nationwide.

Regardless of how state programs evolve or whether greater federal alignment emerges over time, fresh produce companies still need to understand their packaging data, establish internal ownership of that information and build systems capable of supporting ongoing compliance obligations.