HARVESTING SAFE
Arizona Leafy Greens
KEEPING ARIZONA PRODUCE SAFE
During the months of November through March, nearly 85 percent of the leafy greens consumed across the United States are grown, harvested and shipped from Arizona.
Between Arizona and California, the leafy greens industry produces about 130 million servings a day for U.S. consumers. This is a huge responsibility that the leafy greens industry in both states take very seriously.
Sharing a common goal to continuously strengthen the way food is grown, harvested and distributed, the Arizona and California LGMA have put in place a stringent, science-based food safety protocol to ensure a safe and quality production process.
Members of the Arizona LGMA agree to follow best food safety practices on an ongoing basis through a process that includes:
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Developing and implementing a food safety plan
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Providing food safety training to employees
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Completing a USDA audit of food safety plan to verify compliance
Arizona LGMA members are required to have both scheduled and unannounced audits. All audits are conducted by USDA-licensed inspectors to assure the public that we as an industry stand behind the food safety practices that we have established.
The LGMA Food Safety Program has been recognized nationally, and its requirements served as a model for the Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act.