As public health agencies called an end to the latest E. coli outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce from Salinas, the leafy greens community, government regulators and the entire produce industry continue efforts on multiple fronts to prevent future outbreaks.
Last spring, the LGMA strengthened required practices concerning the use of overhead irrigation water and extended minimum buffer zones between leafy greens farms and animal feeding operations. This past December, LGMA leadership met and agreed to strengthen mandatory food safety practices even further.
Toward this end, the LGMA has appointed industry experts to serve on a series of new Subcommittees to address specific areas involved in the production of leafy greens. The subcommittees concerned with agriculture water and soil amendments have already met several times, and a subcommittee on the sanitation of equipment has been organized through the Arizona LGMA. Other subcommittees are being formed to focus on soil CAFOs and other key subjects.