California Ag Network

Category: Food Safety

  • This Week in Ag – September 16

    California agriculture is seeing developments across several major commodities this week, from strong almond exports and an expanding citrus quarantine to concerns surrounding avocado production in Mexico.

    Here are five stories to know in this week’s edition of This Week in Ag.

    Almond Market Looks Strong Heading Into 2027

    The California almond industry is beginning the new crop year with strong global demand and a tighter supply outlook, according to a recent market update from Blue Diamond Growers.

    August almond shipments totaled 190 million pounds, with exports accounting for 143.2 million pounds. That represents a 31% increase in exports compared with last year.

    India was the standout market, receiving 44.3 million pounds of California almonds in August, up approximately 170% from 16.4 million pounds during the same month last year. Blue Diamond attributed the increase in part to stronger replenishment ahead of India’s festival season and unusually low shipments during August 2025.

    Domestic shipments totaled 46.8 million pounds, down 3.3% year over year.

    On the production side, the 2026 harvest began approximately two weeks earlier than last year. Nonpareil and Independence varieties are largely harvested, with pollinizer varieties following behind.

    Early receipts are also pointing toward lower yields for Nonpareil and Independence compared with 2025. Combined with tighter supplies and continued export demand, Blue Diamond says current fundamentals are supporting a stable-to-firm market outlook.

    HLB Quarantine Expands in Riverside and San Diego Counties

    California is expanding another quarantine boundary for Huanglongbing, or HLB, as efforts continue to limit the spread of the deadly citrus disease.

    Effective Sept. 11, the California Department of Food and Agriculture expanded the HLB quarantine in the Murrieta area of Riverside County and into San Diego County. The expansion includes grids 484, 499 and 510.

    CDFA also expanded Asian Citrus Psyllid Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zone 6 in those areas to reflect the new HLB quarantine boundary.

    HLB, also known as citrus greening disease, poses a significant threat to citrus production. The Asian citrus psyllid can spread the bacterium associated with the disease from infected citrus to healthy plants.

    The quarantine includes regulations governing the movement of certain citrus plants, fruit and other regulated materials in an effort to reduce the risk of further spread.

    California Avocado Commission Responds to Report on Mexico’s Avocado Region

    A Los Angeles Times report detailing violence and intimidation in a major avocado-producing region of Mexico is drawing attention from the California avocado industry.

    The report focuses on families in San Ángel Zurumucapio, Michoacán, where avocado production has provided economic opportunities but growers and residents have also faced extortion, kidnappings and violence.

    The California Avocado Commission cited the report while renewing its call for limits on Mexican avocado imports under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

    The commission argues that import limits would help protect U.S. avocado growers, the domestic industry and the food supply.

    The proposal represents the California Avocado Commission’s position on trade policy as it continues advocating for domestic avocado producers.

    Colin O’Neil Joins Organic Trade Association Leadership

    The Organic Trade Association has hired Colin O’Neil as senior vice president to lead the organization’s public affairs efforts.

    O’Neil will direct legislative and regulatory work, advocacy and stakeholder engagement for the trade association, which represents organic farmers and businesses throughout North America.

    His responsibilities will include initiatives aimed at reducing barriers to organic adoption, strengthening confidence in the USDA Organic seal and expanding opportunities for organic farmers and businesses.

    The Organic Trade Association says the organic sector is now valued at approximately $76 billion.

    O’Neil will also oversee the association’s political action committee.

    Sun World International Celebrates 50 Years

    Sun World International is celebrating five decades in the fresh produce industry.

    The company marked its 50th anniversary during its 2026 Symposium and Field Days. Founded in 1976 by Howard Marguleas, Carl Maggio and Domenick Bianco, Sun World began as a California produce marketing company.

    Over the following five decades, the company expanded into fruit genetics and licensing, with its work including the commercialization of seedless watermelon, seedless table grapes and lemons.

    Sun World also recognized Board Chairman David Marguleas for 40 years of leadership and contributions to the company.

    As part of the recognition, Sun World established the David Marguleas Endowed Research Fund in support of UC Davis Viticulture & Enology and dedicated the David Marguleas Tasting Room at the Sun World Center for Innovation.

    Stay Connected With California Ag Network

    From strong export demand for California almonds to new challenges and developments affecting citrus, avocados, organics and fresh produce, This Week in Ag brings together five stories shaping the industry each week.

    For more news impacting the California ag industry, follow California Ag Network.

  • AgSafe Expands Training Sessions, Works to Meet Emerging Needs

    For more than 30 years, AgSafe has been a trusted source for safety training and compliance support for the agricultural community.

    The Modesto-based nonprofit has cemented its place in ag training in California and increasingly in other parts of the country as well. Natalie Gupton, the group’s Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said in just one year, AgSafe increased its training sessions by more than 35%, growing from 204 sessions reaching 3,667 people in 2022–23 to 278 sessions reaching 5,664 people in 2023–24.

    While AgSafe continues to provide essential training in worker safety, human resources and pesticide handling, the organization is also expanding its offerings to meet emerging needs in the ag industry, said President and Chief Executive Officer Theresa Kiehn.

    “We’ve spent the past five years really focusing on our supervisors because they are the ones that get so much done for our industry,” Kiehn said. “We are sponsoring classes on training the trainers, trying to help supervisors with everything from equipment safety – so tractor, forklift, ATV/UTV accident prevention – to HR topics like wage and hour and sexual harassment prevention.

    “Many of us in our roles get regular professional development, so we’re working to make sure that our ag sector is getting that as well, especially those in supervisors’ roles. We’re making sure that we’re professionalizing our industry.”

    Kiehn, who has been with AgSafe since 2009 and CEO since 2020, noted that the group has developed the Supervisors Development Academy, a five-section 20-hour program that talks about what it means to be a supervisor, how to lead teams, how to have difficult conversations and to work on people skills.

    Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, emphasized the critical importance of workforce education in promoting safe practices across agriculture.

    “Safety remains a top priority in the ag industry, and AgSafe has demonstrated exceptional leadership over the past 34 years by training more than 150,000 people,” said Hesterberg. “Today’s agricultural workforce faces a broader range of challenges, making AgSafe’s expanded, holistic approach more vital than ever. These comprehensive programs are essential to meeting the evolving needs of our industry well into the future.”

    Kevin Ralph, AgWest Farm Credit’s California President, said AgSafe’s signature safety conference, often held in Monterey, is also a great benefit.

    “More than 500 people attend the conference, which features more than 50 classes focusing on health, safety, human resources and leadership development, in English and Spanish,” Ralph said. “AgSafe brings in Spanish-speaking experts from key regulatory agencies to discuss the top citations and how to prevent them, and to make sure everyone is up to date. Farm Credit is proud to have sponsored the conference for many years and to have been a longstanding AgSafe associate member.”

    Farm Credit associations supporting AgSafe are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, and Fresno Madera Farm Credit. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Kiehn said Farm Credit has been a great partner.

    “We never want cost to be a barrier for folks to participate, and Farm Credit’s support has allowed us to reduce costs to ensure that we maximize participation. Farm Credit also has been one of the foundational partners that allows us to grow and maintain our helpline service. And finally, its information has been valuable to our network and whenever we’re able to share it we try to do so,” she said.

    AgSafe was formed in 1990 as increasing state and federal regulations made an injury and illness prevention program necessary. At first a coalition, it earned its 501(c)3 status in 1991 and began transitioning to a professional membership-based organization in 1994.

    But the organization isn’t content to rest on its laurels. It is developing two new program areas – stress management and making sure workers are safe around new and emerging technologies that are reshaping agriculture.

    “We want to bring in different techniques to help people manage their stress. Farming is a very, very tough industry, whether you’re an owner or a worker. Giving people resources and ways they can manage that in the right way helps them personally and helps the employer as well because a happy, healthy worker can translate into a more productive company,” Gupton said.

    She added that the rapid growth of robotics and autonomous equipment requires the industry to carefully evaluate potential safety issues and develop training to address them.

    “We’re seeing a rapid rise in robotics and autonomous equipment, and it’s essential to take a step back and evaluate their safety implications,” Gupton said. “Our goal is to develop proactive training to ensure these technologies can be adopted safely and effectively.”

    About Farm Credit:

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About AgSafe Food & Farms:

    AgSafe, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, is the educational leader that provides practical safety and education to the agricultural community. Since 1991 AgSafe has trained over 100,000 employers, supervisors and farm workers in the most critical issues impacting worker safety, human resources and pesticide safety. AgSafe employs a “boots on the ground” approach to these topics, teaching both the “why” and “how” to protect workers in the field, as well as packing, processing and food manufacturing facilities. For more information, visit https://agsafe.org.

  • USDA Secretary Rollins Works to Make America Healthy Again

    In the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has taken bold action to support the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and work to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

    “President Trump has made fixing our chronic health problems a main priority. Our farmers and ranchers produce the safest, most abundant food supply in the world, and we are working every day to ensure our kids and families are eating the healthiest foods. We have made great strides in the last 100 days to Make America Healthy Again,” said Secretary Rollins.

    On her first full day in office, Secretary Rollins sent a letter to the nation’s governors (PDF, 88.8 KB), outlining her vision for the Department and inviting them to participate in a new “laboratories for innovation” initiative to create bold solutions to long-ignored challenges. She has supported the leadership of states who are submitting waivers to Make America Healthy Again. The MAHA movement at USDA has also supported major voluntary changes to make food healthier, including applauding the dairy industry for voluntarily removing artificial colors from the National School Lunch Program.

    At the direction of President Trump, USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are ensuring programs work harder to encourage healthy eating and lifestyle habits. As part of the MAHA Commission led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this work will not only research and report the many reasons children face unbelievable rates of diet-related disease like obesity and diabetes but also how government can implement change through things like revised dietary policy, state innovation, and less regulation. Secretary Kennedy and Secretary Rollins collaborated on their first MAHA event during a visit to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School in Alexandria, VA where they participated in a healthy snack time with students and met facility staff. The event was an opportunity to learn more about the impact that federally funded nutrition programs have on children and signaled their strong partnership to work together to effectuate their vision for a healthier America. The Secretaries also wrote an opinion piece in USA Today outlining their plan to MAHA.

    The Secretaries most recently visited Texas to discuss food security and learn how America’s farmers are working to Make America Healthy Again by visiting cutting-edge laboratories at the Texas A&M Norman E. Borlaug Building and receiving a briefing on the Grand Nutrition Challenge at the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA). The Secretaries then toured the Automated Precision Phenotyping Greenhouse in addition to touring the fourth-generation Sawyer Farms who are utilizing stewardship practices to ensure healthy production of a robust barley, rye, corn, and wheat crop. The visit to Texas A&M IHA included amplifying the HHS and USDA commitment to a timely and consumer-facing update to Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). On March 11, 2025, after the inaugural meeting of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, Secretary Rollins and Secretary Kennedy announced a commitment to a final DGA no later than Dec. 31, 2025.

  • EPA Enforcement Actions at 10 California Facilities Address Chemical Safety Deficiencies

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced settlements with organicgirl, LLC and nine other entities with facilities across California for claims of chemical safety-related violations under the Clean Air Act. All entities agreed to come into compliance with Risk Management Program (RMP) safety requirements and pay penalties, which total over $170,000.

    “Reducing risks from accidental releases of toxic substances is a core responsibility for EPA,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Josh F.W. Cook. “As a result of our actions, workers, first responders, and communities throughout California will be made safer from chemical accidents.”

    organicgirl, LLC Consent Agreement and Final Order

    At organicgirl, in Salinas, which processes, stores, and distributes prepackaged salads, fresh-cut vegetables, and other food products, EPA found significant safety issues during an inspection in January 2024. The issues pertained to the facility’s anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system.

    EPA claims that the company violated the Clean Air Act’s Section 112(r) because it failed to promptly address critical safety recommendations and implement work safe practices; had an insufficient operation and maintenance program for the refrigeration system, resulting in safety issues such as corrosion of the equipment and deficient emergency ventilation system; and had inadequate documentation to prove that the facility’s system was designed to prevent releases of anhydrous ammonia, among other issues. organicgirl agreed to pay a penalty of $151,979 and come into compliance with federal law by addressing the remaining deficiencies.

    Anhydrous ammonia is a substance regulated under the Clean Air Act’s Section 112(r) as it, while an effective refrigerant, can cause serious, often irreversible health effects when released. In addition to causing potential impacts from inhalation or skin contact, this chemical is also highly flammable.

    Expedited Settlement Agreements

    In addition to the organicgirl case, EPA also completed several expedited settlement agreements to resolve the following claims of violations of Clean Air Act chemical safety requirements:

    AMVAC Chemical Corporation, located in Los Angeles, failed to maintain accurate chlorine equipment diagrams, sufficiently evaluate hazards associated with its chlorine process, and inspect chlorine equipment in accordance with industry standards. The company agreed to pay a penalty of $8,000 and came into compliance to resolve the claims.

    Fowler Packing Company, located in Fresno, failed to submit its Risk Management Plan report in a timely manner and agreed to pay a penalty of $2,000 to resolve the claim.

    Benecia Water Treatment Plant, located in Benicia, failed to submit its Risk Management Plan report in a timely manner and update emergency contact information in a timely manner. The plant agreed to come into compliance and pay a penalty of $1,800 to resolve the claims.

    Material Logistics & Services LLC, located in Carson, failed to submit its Risk Management Plan report in a timely manner and agreed to pay a penalty of $1,600 to resolve the claim.

    Both Cal Marine Fish Company LLC, located in San Pedro, and Southern California Ice Company, located in Torrance, failed to submit their Risk Management Plan report in a timely manner and each agreed to pay a penalty of $1,200 to resolve the claim.

    Matheson Tri-Gas, located in Newark, failed to keep operating procedures readily accessible to employees who work in or maintain a process; failed to properly determine, correct, complete, and document actions and/or responses to the findings of a 2018 compliance audit. The company agreed to pay a penalty of $900 to resolve the claims.

    Both Cement Hill Water Treatment Plant, located in Fairfield, and PR Farms, located in Madera, failed to submit their Risk Management Plan report and each agreed to pay a penalty of $800 to resolve the claim.

    Background

    EPA’s Clean Air Act RMP regulations work to prevent accidental chemical releases in our communities and the environment. The RMP requires companies that use extremely hazardous substances to follow industry safety standards and to implement safeguards to reduce the likelihood of chemical accidents and dangerous releases, as well as have emergency response procedures in place should an accident occur. The regulations require owners or operators of covered facilities to develop and implement an RMP and to submit a risk management plan to EPA.

    More information

    Learn more about EPA’s enforcement program and how to report possible violations of environmental laws and regulations to the EPA.

  • Little Birds, Little Poops, Little Food Safety Risk

    It doesn’t require a degree in ornithology, a lab test or even an app for most growers to determine whether bird poop near their crops presents a food safety risk. They just need to ask themselves a simple question: How big is it?

    That’s according to a study from the University of California, Davis, published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology. The study said an informed, nuanced view of food-safety risks and wild birds could help growers avoid crop losses and manage farms for food safety, biodiversity conservation and crop production.

    Since 2006, when an E. coli outbreak devastated the U.S. leafy greens industry, growers have been pressured to remove natural habitat to keep wildlife — and the foodborne pathogens they sometimes carry — from visiting crops. Growers are often advised not to harvest crops within a roughly three-foot radius of any wildlife feces, lest they risk failing a food safety audit or losing a buyer contract. Growers often cite such concerns as a barrier to implementing conservation actions they would otherwise consider taking on their farms.

    “We wanted to find out the true risk of wild birds to food safety,” said lead author Austin Spence, a postdoctoral researcher in the UC Davis Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology. “Which birds have pathogens, which birds are spending time on farms, and if a bird has a pathogen, does that pathogen survive long in bird poop? Our findings indicate that we can co-manage our areas for both agriculture and conservation.”

    Northern harrier on sprinkler in leafy-green field, coastal CA (image by Rose Albert, UC Davis)

    Where pathogens persist

    Through field and greenhouse experiments, bird surveys, point counts and fecal transects, the authors assessed food-safety risks from nearly 10,000 birds across 29 lettuce farms on California’s Central Coast. They spent hours following turkeys, bluebirds and other wild birds at the UC Davis Student Farm and nearby Putah Creek, collecting hundreds of fecal samples. They compared E. coli survival in bird droppings on lettuce, soil and plastic mulch to measure pathogen persistence.

    After all of these efforts, they landed on a simple finding: Smaller poops from smaller birds carry very low risk of foodborne pathogens, which were rare in birds overall. If a bird were to become infected, pathogen survival depends heavily on the bird’s size.

    “Birds that are large produce really big feces, and that’s where pathogens are more likely to survive,” said Spence. “Birds that are small have tiny feces, and the pathogens die off quickly. So farmers don’t have to know the species of bird it came from. They just need to know the size. If it’s the size of a quarter, don’t harvest near that. If it’s a tiny white speck, it’s very low risk and probably fine.”

    Loggerhead shrike in a cabbage field with farmworker in background (Image by Rose Albert, UC Davis)

    Balancing conservation, crop yields, and food safety

    Beyond fecal size, what the birds pooped on — be it the crop, soil or plastic — made a difference for pathogen survival. In the study, E. coli survived longer on lettuce itself than on soil or plastic mulch.

    Fortunately, about 90% of birds observed on the farms were small and tended to poop mostly on soil, where pathogens perish quickly. By avoiding no-harvest buffers when food-safety risks are low, growers of leafy greens could harvest about 10% more of their fields.

    “Birds generally present really low food-safety risks,” said senior author Daniel Karp, a UC Davis professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. “The industry has been concerned about birds for a while. But pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella are vanishingly rare in wild, farmland birds. And we now know E. coli tends to die off quickly in most bird poop.”

    The study opens up new strategies for growers to better balance conservation and food-safety risks. For example, growers could erect nest boxes to attract small, beneficial insect-eating birds, like bluebirds and swallows, that help control pests without risking food safety.

    The work also contributes to a growing body of research that suggests growers do not need to remove habitat to improve food safety.

    “There have been no studies to date that suggest habitat removal improves food safety,” Karp said. “Habitat around farms is actually likely to favor the small, insect-eating birds that are unlikely to carry pathogens. Studies like ours are giving farmers science-based permission to conserve habitat — and many species of wild birds — on their farms again.”

    The study’s additional co-authors are Jeffery McGarvey and SangIn Lee at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Olivia Smith at Michigan State University, Elissa Olimpi at Conservation Science Partners, and undergraduates Wentao Yang and Meirun Zhang at UC Davis.

    The study was funded through the Center for Produce Safety, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. — By Kat Kerlin, UC Davis

  • Hazelnut Farmer Sues Federal Gov’t Over Credibility of Organic Claimed Foreign Imports

    Organic farmers in the US undergo some of the most strict regulations and certification procedures in the world in order to obtain the consumer-trusted “USDA Organic” logo on their harvested crops, naturally commanding a premium price; however, when imported foreign products hit the US market and secure “USDA Organic” status, can consumers trust that those products came from farms that met the same criteria as required by US organic farms?  Bruce Kaser, an organic hazelnut grower in Oregon would beg to differ and is suing the federal government over what he claims not only comprises the integrity of the entire organic sector, but is also financially damaging to the American farmer. Watch this brief interview as Pacific Nut Producer Editor Matthew Malcolm meets with Bruce to discuss the details.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor George Packing Company for their industry support.

  • Postharvest State of the California Table Grape Industry

    How did the 2024 harvest fare for California table grape growers following the extensive high heat conditions they weathered over the summer? What are the biggest challenges concerning growers moving into 2025? California Fresh Fruit Association President Daniel Hartwig addressed these questions at Malcolm Media’s annual Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in his State of the Industry address. Watch his interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network and read more about it in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Will Microplastics Endanger the Food Stream?

    It’s no secret that drought-induced water shortages cut into freshwater irrigation practices. That’s hard on the farming community, because agriculture accounts for about 85% of the world’s freshwater usage. Treating and recycling used municipal water to make up for the shortage is not a new concept – Israel treats and reuses about 90% of its wastewater, and the Phoenix, AZ, area recycles up to 97% – but, there may be a problem with that: Microplastic.

    These bits of post-consumer refuse are tiny, ranging in size from 1 micron (a human hair is 50-70 microns thick) to 5mm (about the size of a stud earring), and make their way into the sewage system. Microplastics are the result of wear and tear that breaks off of anything that contains plastic, such as clothing, dishes, or plumbing fixtures.

    According to a leading environmental scientist, potentially hazardous materials can attach themselves to that plastic and enter the agricultural system via wastewater irrigation.

    “Microplastics can be introduced to wastewater from multiple sources, including personal care products, laundry, and dish washing,” said Clinton Williams, soil scientist and research leader at the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Water Management and Conservation Research unit in Maricopa, AZ. “Once in the wastewater these plastics can adsorb (hold onto) organic molecules, including pharmaceuticals.”

    ARS soil scientist Clinton Williams draws samples of reclaimed water used for irrigation. (Photo by Stephen Ausmus)

    According to Williams, when the wastewater is used for irrigation or released into the environment the microplastics can accumulate at the root-soil interface. From there, the microplastics can release the pharmaceuticals where they are taken up by crops.

    Further, these antibiotics could encourage microenvironments where microorganisms could develop antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is a condition in which mutations cause an organism to survive exposure to an agent that had previously been used as an effective treatment.

    Williams said that synthetic materials like nylon and acrylics have the highest potential to transport antibiotics. Future work will focus on quantifying the potential for these antibiotics to be taken up by edible crops consumed by people. The development of AMR is also being measured in the soil microbial community.

    Wastewater is treated, but treatment plants are deigned to remove organic carbon and nitrogen. Antibiotics are at such a low concentration, typically less than 10 parts per billion, that they are not directly removed.

    Williams and research partners at Clemson University and the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, are examining the interactive effects of microplastics and antimicrobials in agroecosystems by applying microplastics and antibiotics together to soils, and then measuring the development of AMR.

    “[Irrigation with treated wastewater] will increase,” Williams said. “It’s a resource that can be used to increase water supplies without significant costs, [but] if microplastics are shown to increase the uptake of antibiotics and other micro-organics into food crops, there may be a need to remove microplastics from treated wastewater.” – By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications

  • Meat Institute’s Dr. KatieRose McCullough Appointed to USDA Food Safety Advisory Committee

    The Meat Institute announced that Dr. KatieRose McCullough has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) bringing her scientific expertise and industry knowledge to federal food safety agencies.

    “Dr. McCullough has her finger on the pulse of industry food safety best practices, scientific research and rulemaking,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “Her collaborative and passionate work in the scientific community to help meat companies ensure their products are safe is going to be an incredible asset to federal agencies.”

    Dr. KatieRose McCullough serves as the director of science and public health at the Meat Institute where she provides expertise on a variety of topics including: meat science, food safety, meat consumption, public health, and more. As the scientist for Meat Institute, McCullough works to ensure policies are created on a sound science-based foundation.

    McCullough also serves as the Chief Scientist to the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education and acts as the staff liaison for the Scientific Affairs Committee. She also manages the Meat Institute’s scholarship program, which funds multiple scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students each year.

    McCullough received her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Texas Tech University, her Master of Science in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University with research focusing on meat quality and her Doctorate of Philosophy in Animal Science from Colorado State University with her research focusing on food safety. McCullough also holds a Master’s in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health focusing on Animals, People and the Environment.

    According to USDA, members of the committee are chosen based on their expertise in microbiology, risk assessment, epidemiology, public health, food science and other relevant disciplines.

    “NACMCF members bring a wealth of expertise and dedication to the critical mission of ensuring the safety of our nation’s meat and poultry products,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Their contributions will help us continue to strengthen our nation’s food supply and protect the health and well-being of American consumers.”

    NACMCF has made important contributions to a broad range of critical food safety issues. The committee reports provide current information and scientific advice to federal food safety agencies and serve as a foundation for regulations and programs aimed at reducing foodborne disease and enhancing public health. Federal food safety agencies involved with NACMCF are USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Department of Defense Veterinary Services.

    About the Meat Institute
    The Meat Institute is the United States’ oldest and largest trade association representing packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal, turkey, and processed meat products. Meat Institute members include over 350 meat packing and processing companies, the majority of which have fewer than 100 employees, and account for over 95 percent of the United States’ output of meat and 70 percent of turkey production.

  • New Data Highlights Continuous Improvement, Sustainability Across Meat Sector

    In the second year of the meat sector’s pioneering data collection and reporting on five key focus areas for continuous improvement, the number of companies submitting data grew by nearly 60% and now covering more than half of all establishments operated by Meat Institute members.

    With 93% of the Meat Institute’s largest member companies (more than 2000 employees) submitting data, the report reflects commitments and actions covering an estimated 90% of meat sold in the United States. The Meat Institute’s metrics and goals align closely with on-farm efforts in beef, pork, poultry and feed to drive supply chain-wide sustainability.

    Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts commented:

    “98% of American households purchase meat, putting our sector undoubtedly at the center of sustaining healthy diets, healthy communities, and a healthy planet for generations to come.

    The Meat Institute has a clear vision for 2030 and has established measurable targets to verify progress along the way, including through this game-changing data collection and reporting which will incentivize sector-wide implementation of best practices and allow us to identify gaps where further resources are needed to achieve ambitious goals.”

    Among the Meat Institute’s five focus areas for continuous improvement, one key target is the Meat Institute’s aim for 100% of members to have set a science-based emissions reduction target by 2030. To date, 14 Meat Institute general members representing the majority of meat sold in the United States, plus 10 supplier/allied members, have set or publicly committed to set targets verified by the Science-Based Targets Initiative.

    Of establishments reporting data, 66% are covered by a company commitment to set scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction goals; 62% are covered by a company commitment to set scope 3 emissions reduction goals. In September, the Meat Institute and the UN Global Compact Network USA jointly released a practical tool to help meat companies conduct emissions surveys, the first critical step in the path to setting science-based targets.

    Aiding another key target to help families facing hunger access enough high-quality protein, Meat Institute members donate tens of millions of dollars and meals to food banks and charities across the country every year. The majority of companies reporting data contributed to food banks and charities in 2022. Examples of food security actions in this reporting period include:

    • Bob Evans Farms announced a four-year partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Bank to donate more than $1 million in cash and food contributions.
    • Hormel Foods and Tyson Foods partnered to support communities affected by the Maui wildfires, with Hormel donating more than 264,000 cans of SPAM and Tyson donating more than 100,000 lbs of protein.
    • Smithfield Foods donated 28,000 lbs of protein to Florida communities devastated by Hurricane Idalia.
    • Swaggertys has donated nearly 35,000 lbs of frozen sausage to local food banks and charity organizations so far in 2023.

    The Meat Institute’s full 2023 continuous improvement report is available HERE.

    About North American Meat Institute

    The Meat Institute is the United States’ oldest and largest trade association representing packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal, turkey, and processed meat products. NAMI members include over 350 meat packing and processing companies, the majority of which have fewer than 100 employees, and account for over 95 percent of the United States’ output of meat and 70 percent of turkey production. To learn more, visit MeatInstitute.org.

    About the Protein PACT: The Protein PACT unites partners across animal protein to accelerate the entire sector’s progress toward global sustainable development goals for healthy people, healthy animals, healthy communities, and a healthy environment. Protein PACT partners are establishing transparent baselines and benchmarks, setting ambitious targets for continuous improvement, collecting data to verify and transparently report on progress, and launching comprehensive communications about animal protein’s unique place in healthy diets and sustainable food systems. To learn more, visit www.TheProteinPACT.org.