PMA Launches Center for Produce Safety

DAVIS, Calif. -- The Produce Marketing Association yesterday established a new Center for Produce Safety at the University of California, Davis here, with public and private contributions totaling more than $4.5 million. Officials at PMA said the funding will go toward fulfilling two critical objectives: to collect all existing available research related to produce safety and act as an industry clearinghouse for this information, and to fund studies and research geared toward developing new solutions to mitigate risks associated with the U.S. produce supply. “The success of the produce industry depends on our collective commitment to public health,” said PMA President Bryan Silbermann. “Our members, who represent every link of the nation‘s produce supply chain, are committed to supporting robust food safety programs based on the best science available. The Center for Produce Safety will significantly advance the entire industry‘s collective knowledge about food safety and help ensure consumers continue to enjoy safe, wholesome and healthy produce, every bite, every time.”