California Ag Secretary Honored With Golden Checkmark Award

It’s not often that a group of farmers comes to the government asking to be regulated. But in the aftermath of the 2006 E. coli outbreak associated with spinach, that is exactly what was needed to help California leafy greens producers regain consumer confidence.

Last week the California leafy greens community met in Salinas to recognize those responsible for creating the unique public-partnership formed ten years ago under the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.  The California Department of Food and Agriculture was most certainly a key player in the creation of the LGMA. In honor of the support which existed at CDFA in 2006 and continues today, the LGMA presented Secretary Karen Ross with our Golden Checkmark Award.

The LGMA’s Golden Checkmark Award is given to those who support mandatory government oversight of food safety in the produce industry. Past recipients include Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former CDFA Secretary A.G. Kawamura along with several members of the leafy greens industry and some influential buyers who have supported us by requiring LMGA certification for their leafy greens suppliers.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: California Leafy Green Handler Marketing Agreement