Leafy greens board names executive committee
Leafy greens board names executive committee
The California Leafy Greens Products Handler Marketing Agreement Advisory Board elected an advisory board at its first meeting held Feb. 23 in Woodland, CA.
Joe Pezzini, vice president of operations for Castroville-based Ocean Mist Farms, was elected chairman, and Eric Schwartz, president of Salinas-based Dole Fresh Vegetables, was elected vice chairman. Both are from the Salinas- Watsonville-San Joaquin Valley-Kern County district.
Mitch Ardantz of Bonita Packing Co. and Ryan Talley of Talley Farms were elected to the executive committee, both representing the Oxnard-Santa Maria district. Also, Jack Vessey of Vessey & Co., was elected to the executive committee, representing the Blythe-Imperial Valley district.
Three alternates from the Blythe-Imperial Valley district were nominated at the meeting, as well.
The marketing agreement was created by the leafy greens industry and will utilize an inspection program to verify that leafy greens handlers are complying with their own standards. To date, signatories participating in the marketing agreement represent more than 90 percent of leafy greens produced in California. Sign-ups to the agreement will be accepted until April 1.
The board will work together to make recommendations on the operation of the marketing agreement to California Department of Food & Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura.
Tom Nunes Jr., president of Salinas-based The Nunes Co. Inc., said that the meeting was a good first start for the board. He said that executive board electees bring strong leadership to the board, whose top focus is inspection and certification. He said that the executive committee has strong representation from shippers, processors and growers.
"The mood was upbeat," Mr. Nunes said. "We're starting something from scratch, and I thought the board handled it well."
The board set up some upcoming meetings, including executive committee meetings on March 5 and March 12, and full advisory board meetings on March 9 and March 16.
"The board's focus is to ensure we have good inspections and certifications," Mr. Nunes said. "We don't debate the metrics."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and scientists determine the industry metrics, Mr. Nunes said.
Leading up to the marketing agreement becoming official, CDFA had begun having its inspectors trained by the USDA.
John D'Arrigo of Salinas-based D'Arrigo Bros. of California said that the meeting was "a positive first step. We're hoping we can get 100 percent participation in the agreement."
Noticeably absent as a signee to the marketing agreement is Salinas-based Fresh Express, which makes up most of the remaining 10 percent of the volume not accounted for by the other signees.
Fresh Express President Tanios Viviani said in a Feb. 13 letter that Fresh Express' growing and processing facilities exceed the proposed Good Agricultural Practices metrics, that the solution for food safety must be global and that the "limited reach of the California marketing agreement vs. very real marketplace expectations may very well create consumer expectations that are too high for the agreement to meet."
Joe Pezzini, vice president of operations for Castroville-based Ocean Mist Farms, was elected chairman, and Eric Schwartz, president of Salinas-based Dole Fresh Vegetables, was elected vice chairman. Both are from the Salinas- Watsonville-San Joaquin Valley-Kern County district.
Mitch Ardantz of Bonita Packing Co. and Ryan Talley of Talley Farms were elected to the executive committee, both representing the Oxnard-Santa Maria district. Also, Jack Vessey of Vessey & Co., was elected to the executive committee, representing the Blythe-Imperial Valley district.
Three alternates from the Blythe-Imperial Valley district were nominated at the meeting, as well.
The marketing agreement was created by the leafy greens industry and will utilize an inspection program to verify that leafy greens handlers are complying with their own standards. To date, signatories participating in the marketing agreement represent more than 90 percent of leafy greens produced in California. Sign-ups to the agreement will be accepted until April 1.
The board will work together to make recommendations on the operation of the marketing agreement to California Department of Food & Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura.
Tom Nunes Jr., president of Salinas-based The Nunes Co. Inc., said that the meeting was a good first start for the board. He said that executive board electees bring strong leadership to the board, whose top focus is inspection and certification. He said that the executive committee has strong representation from shippers, processors and growers.
"The mood was upbeat," Mr. Nunes said. "We're starting something from scratch, and I thought the board handled it well."
The board set up some upcoming meetings, including executive committee meetings on March 5 and March 12, and full advisory board meetings on March 9 and March 16.
"The board's focus is to ensure we have good inspections and certifications," Mr. Nunes said. "We don't debate the metrics."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and scientists determine the industry metrics, Mr. Nunes said.
Leading up to the marketing agreement becoming official, CDFA had begun having its inspectors trained by the USDA.
John D'Arrigo of Salinas-based D'Arrigo Bros. of California said that the meeting was "a positive first step. We're hoping we can get 100 percent participation in the agreement."
Noticeably absent as a signee to the marketing agreement is Salinas-based Fresh Express, which makes up most of the remaining 10 percent of the volume not accounted for by the other signees.
Fresh Express President Tanios Viviani said in a Feb. 13 letter that Fresh Express' growing and processing facilities exceed the proposed Good Agricultural Practices metrics, that the solution for food safety must be global and that the "limited reach of the California marketing agreement vs. very real marketplace expectations may very well create consumer expectations that are too high for the agreement to meet."
