HEARING ON LEAFY GREENS MARKETING AGREEMENT SET FOR JAN. 12

Notice of hearing and draft marketing agreement sent to leafy green produce handlers

SACRAMENTO – In accordance with the California Marketing Act of 1937, a hearing to take testimony from persons who would be affected by a draft leafy greens marketing agreement has been scheduled for January 12, 2007 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds Rd., Monterey, CA. The hearing is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. in the Monterey Room.

The hearing has been announced by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Marketing Division, which oversees marketing orders, boards and commissions in California. A notice of the hearing and the draft leafy greens marketing agreement have been sent to approximately 120 potential leafy greens handlers in California and others who would be directly affected by the agreement. Handlers are middlemen through whom product moves from field to retail. 

The draft marketing agreement would provide a verification and certification program—approved by both USDA and CDFA—that would certify and verify that product bearing a seal had been grown and processed in accordance with best management practices outlined in the draft agreement.   

The marketing agreement is only the first step in an overall plan that would then move to a marketing order, which would verify and enforce the best management practices among all leafy greens growers.

The primary distinction between a marketing order and marketing agreement is that participation in the order is mandatory and participation in the agreement is voluntary. However, once handlers commit to the agreement, compliance is mandatory.      

A link to both the public notice and the draft marketing agreement may be found at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/mkt/mkt/meetings2.html