New Cantaloupe Growers Association Makes its Retailer Debut 2018-01-01 (1)

The newly established Eastern Cantaloupe Growers Association will convene a kick-off meeting on Monday, February 11 at the Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel for all foodservice and retail buyers. Having met in early January with cantaloupe growers and potential members hailing from Indiana down to southern Florida, ECGA™ solidified mandatory food safety guidelines for the association and the group is now ready to unveil these standards to their produce purchasers. ECGA™ requires its members to maintain GFSI benchmarked auditing metrics if they intend to display the ECGA ™ seal. These metrics include specifications to water, soil amendments, sanitation and equipment cleaning standards that are above those mandated by GFSI benchmarking. Certified members will also undergo at least one surprise audit during the year to ensure that they are following the standards set by the association. ECGA™ Executive Director Charles Hall says the next phase for this group is promotion. “We need retailers and produce buyers to understand the intentional investment in safety that these cantaloupe growers are making,” he said. “These guys are pledging to go the extra mile not only for their own farms, but for the cantaloupe industry as a whole.” For more information on the meeting and to register to attend, visit www.ecga-usa.org or contact Charles Hall at 706-845-9085.