California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement
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The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CFDA) today announced that members of the California Leafy Greens Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) can begin using a service mark on July 23. The service mark certifies membership in the LGMA program, and "indicates a handler's commitment to a set of Good Agricultural Practices audited by the LGMA."
In a press release issued by CFDA, Chairman of the LGMA communications committee and member of LGMA board of directors Tom Nunes stated, "The service mark reflects a handler's commitment to implementing enhanced food safety standards. By using it on their bills of landing, our signatories will be communicating to customers that they are members in good standing of the LGMA."
LGMA CEO Scott Horsfall commented on the use of the service mark:
Using the service mark communicates that a handler is in compliance with the marketing agreement, which means they are producing and marketing lettuce, spinach and other leafy green products in California according to the enhanced Good Agricultural Practices accepted by our board.
In the past, firms identified as the source of E. coli outbreaks traced to leafy green products like spinach and lettuce have been in compliance with Good Agricultural Practices. Does this new service mark indicating a member's good standing in the LGMA really translate into safer food?
