News & Issues

Category: Food Safety

Be Recall Ready: Preparing Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Producers for Recalls

Be Recall Ready  The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is partnering with Dr. David Gombas of United Fresh Produce Association and Amy Philpott of Watson and Mulhern to offer a FULL day of preparing Georgia’s producers for recalls in the produce industry, Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at the UGA Conference Center in Tifton, GA. This hands-on educational course will help growers and shippers be recall ready with an understanding of the fundamentals of produce recalls. Many other traceability workshops have been offered in the past but have been too expensive or offered a teaser in order to sell a
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Obama administration unveils obesity action plan

A produce-friendly action plan to solve childhood obesity within a generation has attracted widespread praise from food industry and nutrition advocates. First Lady Michelle Obama and other Obama administration officials unveiled the action plan in a presentation May 11. The plan to reduce the rate of childhood obesity to 5% by 2030 outlines 70 specific recommendations that stress physical fitness and better nutrition for America’s youth. The plan’s focus on encouraging increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is in line with foodservice industry trends, said Dawn Sweeney, president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Restaurant Association. “The restaurant industry is built
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Bill Brim Testimony

Testimony by Bill Brim National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement Hearings September 30 – October 1, 2009 Jacksonville, FL My name is Bill Brim.  I am the co-owner of Lewis Taylor Farms and Quality Produce, Inc., a farm and shipping operation in Tifton, Georgia.  The farm was originally established as a vegetable seedling operation by my father-in-law in the 1940’s.  Today we still grow vegetable seedlings, approximately 115 million vegetable transplants and 18 million pine seedlings however, our operations have expanded to also include 4500 acres of mixed vegetables.  Included in the 4500 vegetable acres are 120 acres of cabbage and
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Testimony from Kent Hamilton

Testimony by Kent Hamilton National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement Hearings September 30 – October 1, 2009 Jacksonville, FL Hello, thank you for the opportunity to present testimony today.  My name is Kent Hamilton. I operate Hamilton Growers and Southern Valley Produce in Georgia.  Our operations farm many acres of mixed vegetables including 200 acres of cabbage that would be covered under this agreement.  In Mexico we also grow many acres.  All of our domestic produce is handled, packed and shipped from our Southern Valley Produce facility in Norman Park, Georgia.  According to SBA classifications I would be a large grower
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Testimony from Charles Hall

Testimony for the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Presented by Charles T. Hall, Jr., Executive Director Before the Agricultural Marketing Service, US Department of Agriculture DOCKET No. FV09-970-1 Leafy Green Vegetables Handled in the US September 30, 2009 My name is Charles Hall, Executive Director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.  The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association represents the interests of growers, shippers, handlers and allied companies involved in the production and distribution of fruits and vegetables grown in Georgia.  In 2008, fruit and vegetable production in Georgia covered over 175,000 acres of land and had
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Bo Herndon Testimony

Testimony for L. G. ‘Bo’ Herndon Before the Agricultural Marketing Service, US Dept of Agriculture Docket No. FV09-970-1 Leafy Green Vegetables Handled in the US September 30, 2009 My name is L.G. ‘Bo’ Herndon. I currently serve as President of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.  I am a producer/packer/shipper of ???XX acres of fresh produce in Lyons, Georgia, including Vidalia onions, sweet corn and ??xx acres of leafy greens.  According to SBA business definitions my total operation would be classified as a large grower but my leafy greens operation would be considered a small grower.  I am classified
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