Safeway Partners With California Department of Agriculture to Promote Local

PLEASANTON, Calif. — As part of Safeway's new "Locally Grown" initiative, Rick Pickering, vice president of Safeway, this morning joined with Will Brown, undersecretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture and Ron Fong, chief executive officer of the California Grocers Association, to distribute samples of locally grown produce at one of the company's Sacramento locations.

Representatives from farms including Jopson Ranch, G&S Farms, Ratto Brothers Produce, Blossom Hill of Patterson and M&R Company were scheduled to be on hand as well.

Through its Locally Grown initiative, Safeway has increased its sourcing of local fruits and vegetables, and emphasized to shoppers that buying local helps boost the economies of California's many agriculture-rich communities, while decreasing the carbon footprint of fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, nearly 45% of all produce sold in Safeway's California stores is grown in-state.

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