The Arizona Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (LGMA) Food Safety Committee has approved changes made to the adjacent land use and soil amendments section of the food safety best practices to which all members must adhere. Changes will go into effect immediately and Arizona Department of Food and Agriculture auditors will begin verifying compliance in November 2021 when harvest starts for the 2021–2022 season. 

The Arizona LGMA also announced support for leafy green shippers, growers, and harvest crews through training events and online resources. 

C.R. Waters, Arizona LGMA chairman, said that the changes to the food safety guidelines for its upcoming growing season represent the Arizona growing community’s commitment to keeping consumers safe. Members will be using the changes that were approved in their operations to supply the nation with leafy greens this winter.

The changes to the food safety best practices include: 

• A detailed assessment evaluating risk levels is required for adjacent lands  
• Preharvest testing is required when risk assessments deem it necessary 
• A new approach to soil amendments and crop inputs, including new categories and incorporating a risk-based approach 

The updated best practices and a copy of the document with tracked changes can be found here.