WOODLAND, Calif. — Investing in the food safety of fresh produce comes down to pride, potential, partnership and priorities, say the latest major contributors to Center for Produce Safety’s (CPS) research program.
Contributing $250,000 each to CPS’s latest research capital campaign are the fresh produce division of the global food-distribution giant Sysco, conventional and organic grower Tanimura & Antle, and grower groups California Fresh Fruit Association and Washington State Tree Fruit Association. All four organizations are repeat supporters of CPS.
“Our orchardists take great pride in producing healthy food, and want to ensure that it remains safe for all consumers,” said Jon DeVaney, president of Washington State Tree Fruit Association. “That requires developing and consistently applying food safety programs using the latest research and techniques. So even during difficult and unsettled times, our industry renewed its commitment to CPS, to ensure advancements in food safety continue.”
Conversely, Julie Olivarria, Sysco vice president of produce, cited two downside potentials of not investing in produce safety. “First and foremost, there is the human factor. Produce should make people healthier, not potentially make them sick. Second, there is the financial implication of food safety. Advisories and recalls can have a profound impact on our bottom line – we cannot sell products that aren’t available, or that nobody wants because they’ve been implicated.”
Ian LeMay, California Fresh Fruit Association president, highlighted the relationship his industry has built with CPS to answer its produce safety questions. “I can’t emphasize enough the word ‘partnership’. That’s the way our industry looks at the relationship with CPS: it’s a partnership to improve and become a stronger, better industry.”
Center for Produce Safety launched its latest campaign publicly in January, after a quiet phase in 2020. To date, the center has raised nearly $7 million toward a $15 million goal to fund its work for the next five years.
CPS finances produce-specific food safety research, then transfers research learnings to industry, government and other stakeholders through its extensive online research database, webinars and an annual Research Symposium, held virtually in 2020 and 2021.
Olivarria and Devaney noted the value of Center for Produce Safety’s unique structure, bringing together industry, government, academia and other stakeholders from the United States and around the world, powered by expert volunteers.
“Addressing the challenges of food safety and ensuring continued innovation requires collaboration across the industry. CPS brings together stakeholders and experts from across the industry to work toward continued improvement in produce safety,” said Olivarria.
DeVaney concurred, adding, “CPS allows our industry to pose critical questions to leading food safety experts, across the country and internationally. Stakeholder involvement in the research review process helps to ensure CPS projects result in relevant and actionable data that addresses producers’ greatest issues. This process is further enhanced by the involvement of [federal policymakers and regulators], whose decisions and priorities can be influenced by reliable data.”
LeMay pointed to Center for Produce Safety’s ability to move quickly to help industry address produce safety questions, even at the 2020 height of the pandemic. “As we were trying to triage COVID-19, I got the call about a salmonella recall. To be able to call CPS and other advisors connected with CPS was just an amazing support system. It was worth every penny.” CPS tapped research allies in Australia to conduct counter-seasonal field research for CFFA; results were delivered ahead of California’s 2021 growing season.
All of these leaders called on their produce industry counterparts to prioritize produce safety, and to support CPS.
“Food safety should rank top on everyone’s list of priorities, next to worker safety. While we can only control what happens within our operations, we are affected by what happens in the industry as a whole,” said Scott Grabau, president and chief executive officer of Tanimura & Antle. “CPS allows us to have a broader reach, increasing the knowledge, awareness and impact of the industry beyond.”
LeMay agreed. “While historically many commodities may have felt safe from the issues of food safety, we collectively have a responsibility to the consumer, to sustain healthy and safe produce. We owe it to ourselves, our industry partners and our consumers to do all we can to support food safety. One of the best ways we can do that is to continue to support, and to expand our support for, Center for Produce Safety.
“CPS is the partner we all need to sustain us for the long haul,” he concluded.
Contributions to date
As of August 18, the following companies have generously contributed to CPS’s new fundraising campaign. A current list of contributors can be viewed at www.centerforproducesafety.org/2020-campaign.php.
Diamond Level Supporters, $1,000,000+
Taylor Farms
Western Growers
Platinum Level Supporters, $500,000 – $999,999
Dole Fresh Vegetables/Dole Food Company
Gold Level Supporters, $250,000 – $499,999
California Fresh Fruit Association
Sysco
Tanimura & Antle
Washington State Tree Fruit Association
Silver Level Supporters, $100,000 – $249,999
Lipman Family Farms
California Cantaloupe Advisory Board/California Melon Research Board
JV Smith Companies
Promotora Agricola El Toro
Western Precooling
Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic
McEntire Produce, Inc.
Driscoll’s
Food Safety Net Services (FSNS)
The Giumarra Companies
GreenGate Fresh
iFoodDecisionSciences
Markon Cooperative, Inc.
Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association
Mission Produce, Inc.
organicgirl
Pacific International Marketing
Robinson Fresh
Steinbeck Country Produce
The Produce News, media partner
Bronze-Plus Level Supporters, $50,000 to $99,999
The Oppenheimer Group
Amigo Farms
Bonduelle Fresh Americas
California Avocado Commission
DiMare Fresh
GoodFarms
H-E-B
L&M Companies
Meijer
New York Apple Association
Sunrise Growers Inc., A SunOpta Company
The Wegman Family Charitable Foundation
Food Safety News, media partner
Bronze Level Supporters, up to $49,999:
Church Brothers Farms
Coastline Family Farms, Inc.
Little Bear Produce
Texas International Produce Association
Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc.
Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association
Diversified Restaurant Systems, Inc.
Florida Tomato Committee
Pasquinelli Produce Co.
IEH Laboratories & Consulting Group
Tyger Sales and Marketing, LLC
Wish Farms
National Watermelon Association
Blue Book Services, Inc.
Primus Labs
Pacific Ag Pak, Inc
Many industry organizations have supported CPS since it was founded in 2007. A complete list of contributors to CPS’s 2015 campaign can be viewed at www.centerforproducesafety.org/2015-campaign.php.
About CPS
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for Produce Safety (CPS) focuses exclusively on funding science, finding solutions and fueling change in fresh produce food safety. The center is a unique partnership, bringing together leaders from industry, government, and the scientific and academic communities. CPS funds credible, independent research worldwide, then transfers that knowledge and tools to industry and other stakeholders through an annual Research Symposium (virtual in 2021), its website, webinars, trade press guest columns and other outreach. Since it was founded in 2007, Center for Produce Safety has invested more than $33 million to fund produce-specific safety research. For more information, visit www.centerforproducesafety.org.
