In order to support public health and food safety, Arizona Leafy Greens provides oversight, training, and certification. As a commodity-specific food safety program, Leafy Greens helps ensure that the leafy vegetable produce grown in Arizona is safe to eat.

 

Arizona's lettuce industry has quietly grown into one of the state’s most vital agricultural sectors, generating an estimated $2 billion each year in jobs and revenues. 

 

In an effort to better organize and protect the integrity of leafy green vegetables grown, harvested and shipped from Arizona, those who are directly involved in the industry established the Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee in 2007. This group oversees the Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (Arizona LGMA), a rigorous, science-based Food Safety Program that protects public health by reducing potential sources of contamination.  

 

Members of Arizona LGMA must comply with the Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for Production and Harvest of Lettuce and Leafy Greens (see our food safety Metrics) and are audited regularly by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensed auditors.