POLICY :: Leafy Green Marketing Agreement

Information updated on July 2, 2007

See current information on more food safety topics our new Food Safety Pages.

Become informed on the issue of proposed regulations in the production of leafy green products!

The Issue

As you are undoubtedly aware, there have been several recent cases of E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria on lettuce and spinach causing significant numbers of consumers to become sick or die. This has in turn led to a considerable push by parts of the food industry to develop “good agricultural practices” that farmers would have to adopt in order to prevent such food safety outbreaks in the future. Western Growers Association (WGA) has been leading an effort by produce shippers to enact a Marketing Agreement and Marketing Order for leafy green vegetables in California that would require such practices.

Like all farmers and farmer organizations, CAFF is deeply concerned about food contamination that can undermine consumer confidence in our products. But we are just as concerned about an over-reaction to the e. coli outbreak that might hurt small farmers and undermine the efforts of CAFF and many farmers to farm in an environmentally responsible manner.

CAFF says...

• Agrarian Advocate article on Leafy Greens & Food Safety, Spring 2007
• CAFF Comments on Food Safety, submitted on Feb 27, 2007 to the Joint Assembly and Senate Committees on Agriculture

  Informational Hearing (96 kb)

• "Food Safety & Sustainable Agriculture" by Dave Runsten, Executive Director of CAFF, Fall 2006 (216 kb)

Bills & Proposals

• Leafy Green Handlers Marketing Agreement (100 kb)
• Marketing Agreement Board Appointed
• FAQ from Western Growers Association (128 kb)
• Western Growers GAP Leafy Greens Metrics (532 kb) and Compliance Audit Checklist
• Leafy Greens Market Agreement Good Agricultural Practices (GAPS) (452 kb)

Our Advocacy History on this Issue

• Comments presented by Judith Redmond, on June 4, 2007 (452 kb)
• Read our Action Alert to CAFF members.
• Submitted comments, presented by Judith Redmond, on Feb 27 to the Joint Assembly and Senate Committees on Agriculture Informational Hearing (96 kb)

What You Can Do

1. Donate to our Leafy Greens Campaign. Your special gift is urgently needed.
2. Want to get your objection on the record? Governor Schwarzenegger's public phone is 916-445-2841. The operators will take a message.  To contact your local Farm Bureau, click here.
   
3. We continue to let our members and others know about the proposed agreement. See our Food Safety Action Sheet for quick facts and relevant information (96 kb)
4. Review the new GAP metrics. What will they mean for your farm? Contact CAFF with your comments.
5. Make sure to get on our email list if you'd like to receive updates on this issue!

Press Coverage

• US News and World Reports, May 20, 2007
• "Grower details his side of outbreak link," Salinas Californian (30 kb), March 19, 2007
• "Liability lawyer tells farmers to clean up their act," Monterey Herald (30 kb), March 1, 2007
• "New Worry for Farmers," San Francisco Chronicle (30 kb), February 21, 2007
• "Growers Talk Food Safety: Forum in Salinas Targets Changes, Solutions," Salinas Californian (30 kb), February 14, 2007
• "Processing May Spread E. coli; Some Food Safety Experts Say the Mixing of Greens for Packaging May Increase the Risk of Contamination," LA Times (30 kb), January 20, 2007
• "Food safety takes spotlight: Maldonado, Caballero want to give industry plan a look", Salinas Californian (30 kb), Jan 9, 2007
• "Farms may cut habitat renewal over E. coli fears", San Francisco Chronicle, Tuesday, December 19, 2006
• "SAFE FOOD, QUALITY WATER AT ODDS: E. coli outbreak adds to conflict", Monterey Herald (30 kb), Dec. 20, 2006
• "Food safety proposal goes to fresh vegetable handlers", Ag Alert from the Farm Bureau (30 kb), December 20, 2006
• "Vegetable-Industrial Complex", New York Times (96 kb), Michael Pollan, October 15, 2006

Articles & Reports

• Emergency Response Report titled "Investigation of an Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreak Associated with Dole Pre-Packaged Spinach". The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and California's Department of Health Services (CDHS) (3.8 MB)
• "Recommendations in follow up to the Investigation of an Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreak Associated with Dole PrePackaged Spinach", California Department of Health Services (48 kb)
• E. coli 0157:H7 Frequently Asked Questions, Critical Issue Report 2006.3, The Organic Center
• UC Santa Cruz report titled "Food Safety versus Environmental Protection on the Central California Coast: Exploring the Science behind an Apparent Conflict". Diana Stuart, Carol Shennan, and Martha Brown, Fall 2006. (648 kb)
• "Reconciling Food Safety & Environmental Protection: A Literature Review" (156 kb), prepared by the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County in Oct. 2006. See a short summary of the Review (140 kb)

Other Resources

Monterey County RCD: www.rcdmonterey.org
UCSC CASFS: www.ucsc.edu/casfs
CDFA: www.cdfa.ca.gov
Western Growers Association: www.wga.com
California Farm Bureau: www.cfbf.com
CCOF: www.ccof.org

CA Leafy Greens Board www.caleafygreens.ca.gov