Marketing agreement appears to be on the way
Marketing agreement appears to be on the way
MONTEREY, CA -- A voluntary marketing agreement for handlers of green leafy vegetables in California appears to be on its way to becoming a reality following a state hearing held Friday, Jan. 12 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds, here.
The California Department of Food & Agriculture convened the hearing, which drew more than 200 people including growers, produce companies and trade groups. The prevailing opinion among these groups as presented at the hearing is that a voluntary marketing agreement that places stricter standards on leafy green handlers is the desired next step.
A voluntary marketing agreement would be a precursor to a mandatory marketing order. That agreement would be a voluntary accord that would commit handlers to follow food safety, or best practices, rules in processing leafy greens. Handlers are defined as any firm in the food chain beyond the farm level that is involved in getting the product to the consumer.
A marketing order would be aimed at growers who supply product to these handlers. It would be a mandated accord by which all growers involved in the specified products would have to abide.
Trade industry support for the marketing agreement includes Western Growers Association, California Farm Bureau and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. Western Growers Association -- whose members grow, pack and ship 90 percent of the fresh vegetables and 70 percent of the fruits and nuts in California and Arizona -- spearheaded the initiative with early support from both California Farm Bureau and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California.
The Jan. 12 meeting was held with the narrowly defined purpose of allowing CDFA to determine whether to go forward with a marketing agreement.
CDFA attorney Jim Aynes presided over the meeting and repeatedly chided speakers to stay on topic with their comments. A diverse audience -- including speakers representing various water boards throughout the state -- weighed in with their comments. A number of speakers, especially those who are not growers or handlers, urged a slowing down of the process of pushing toward a marketing agreement.
Jasper Hempel, executive vice president and general counsel for the Irvine- based Western Growers Association, aired comments on behalf of WGA and was later followed by the organization's president and chief executive officer, Tom Nassif.
Mr. Hempel said that state legislators are racing to get legislation passed, but that the Legislature "doesn't know beans about food safety," and that the Legislature would be the "worst place" for mandated changes to the industry.
Though yet to be finalized, best agricultural practices standards are addressing areas such as frequent testing for E. coli in irrigation water, stricter handling and oversight of the application of manure as a fertilizer, and proper fence construction to keep wild animals and livestock off cropland.
Mr. Nassif said that while it would be foolish for the industry to "elevate expectations beyond what's possible," it is up to the industry to "educate everyone on food-safety measures."
State Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter), who chairs the Senate Governmental Organization Committee that conducted a three-hour hearing on the food- safety issue last fall, told the crowd at the Monterey County Fairgrounds that he would introduce legislation to ratchet up safety standards. Proposed measures would include surprise farm inspections, quarantines in cases where E. coli is tracked, and heavy fines and penalties.
Addressing growers, Mr. Florez said that while the Legislature isn't against what they're doing, legislation would go forward "if we don't see commitment on your part."
Jim Bogart, president and general counsel for the Salinas-based Grower- Shipper Association of Central California, said that embracing the agreement is "the right way to go" to push food safety oversight to a higher level.
Elisa Odabashian, director of the West Coast office of Consumers Union in San Francisco, expressed concern that the industry would create standards "behind closed doors," control its own oversight through the governing board for the agreement, and that CDFA enforcement would be a "rubber stamp" of approval.
John Dyer, chief counsel for the CDFA, said that once the standards are approved by the industry, his department would publish a manual outlining what they are and then make sure the industry abides by them.
The California Department of Food & Agriculture convened the hearing, which drew more than 200 people including growers, produce companies and trade groups. The prevailing opinion among these groups as presented at the hearing is that a voluntary marketing agreement that places stricter standards on leafy green handlers is the desired next step.
A voluntary marketing agreement would be a precursor to a mandatory marketing order. That agreement would be a voluntary accord that would commit handlers to follow food safety, or best practices, rules in processing leafy greens. Handlers are defined as any firm in the food chain beyond the farm level that is involved in getting the product to the consumer.
A marketing order would be aimed at growers who supply product to these handlers. It would be a mandated accord by which all growers involved in the specified products would have to abide.
Trade industry support for the marketing agreement includes Western Growers Association, California Farm Bureau and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. Western Growers Association -- whose members grow, pack and ship 90 percent of the fresh vegetables and 70 percent of the fruits and nuts in California and Arizona -- spearheaded the initiative with early support from both California Farm Bureau and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California.
The Jan. 12 meeting was held with the narrowly defined purpose of allowing CDFA to determine whether to go forward with a marketing agreement.
CDFA attorney Jim Aynes presided over the meeting and repeatedly chided speakers to stay on topic with their comments. A diverse audience -- including speakers representing various water boards throughout the state -- weighed in with their comments. A number of speakers, especially those who are not growers or handlers, urged a slowing down of the process of pushing toward a marketing agreement.
Jasper Hempel, executive vice president and general counsel for the Irvine- based Western Growers Association, aired comments on behalf of WGA and was later followed by the organization's president and chief executive officer, Tom Nassif.
Mr. Hempel said that state legislators are racing to get legislation passed, but that the Legislature "doesn't know beans about food safety," and that the Legislature would be the "worst place" for mandated changes to the industry.
Though yet to be finalized, best agricultural practices standards are addressing areas such as frequent testing for E. coli in irrigation water, stricter handling and oversight of the application of manure as a fertilizer, and proper fence construction to keep wild animals and livestock off cropland.
Mr. Nassif said that while it would be foolish for the industry to "elevate expectations beyond what's possible," it is up to the industry to "educate everyone on food-safety measures."
State Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter), who chairs the Senate Governmental Organization Committee that conducted a three-hour hearing on the food- safety issue last fall, told the crowd at the Monterey County Fairgrounds that he would introduce legislation to ratchet up safety standards. Proposed measures would include surprise farm inspections, quarantines in cases where E. coli is tracked, and heavy fines and penalties.
Addressing growers, Mr. Florez said that while the Legislature isn't against what they're doing, legislation would go forward "if we don't see commitment on your part."
Jim Bogart, president and general counsel for the Salinas-based Grower- Shipper Association of Central California, said that embracing the agreement is "the right way to go" to push food safety oversight to a higher level.
Elisa Odabashian, director of the West Coast office of Consumers Union in San Francisco, expressed concern that the industry would create standards "behind closed doors," control its own oversight through the governing board for the agreement, and that CDFA enforcement would be a "rubber stamp" of approval.
John Dyer, chief counsel for the CDFA, said that once the standards are approved by the industry, his department would publish a manual outlining what they are and then make sure the industry abides by them.
