This website is brought to you by the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA). The LGMA is not a typical marketing organization. Our only role is to ensure that farmers are following a set of science-based food safety practices on their farms to prevent foodborne illness.
You Have Questions
This site exists because we know that when lettuce is involved in a foodborne illness outbreak or recall, there are questions and concerns that can create fear about eating this normally healthy food.
We Have Expert Answers
To ensure this website delivers accurate information, we have pulled together a team of experts in nutrition, farming and communication to help answer these questions and provide information about how we grow lettuce, all we are doing to prevent foodborne illness and why lettuce truly is one of the safest and healthiest foods we can feed our families.
Meet Our Advisors
Behind this website is a team of people who are committed to ensuring we provide accurate, credible information backed by facts. They are registered dietitians, nutrition experts, farmers and advocates for consumer health and safety. Meet our team.
Jan is the Chief Operating Officer and co-owner of San Miguel Produce, a leading producer of specialty greens in North America, offering a variety of organic and conventional bulk and fresh-cut greens.
Andrea ChavezManager
Talley Farms Fresh HarvestSan Luis Obispo, CARead Bio
Andrea ChavezTalley Farms Fresh HarvestSan Luis Obispo, CA
Andrea has spent the last 35 years working at various levels in the produce business. In 2012, working with Talley Farms in Arroyo Grande, she created a local, direct-to-consumer farm box program called Talley Farms Fresh Harvest.
Kathleen’s daughter, Rylee, was sickened in the 2006 e. coli outbreak associated with spinach and she has since become an advocate for those whose lives have been impacted by foodborne illness.
Award winning registered dietitian nutritionist, Neva Cochran, is a nutrition communications consultant in Dallas, Texas, who partners with food, nutrition and agricultural organizations to promote positive, accurate, scientific-based nutrition messages.
Chris is Chief Operations Officer for Ocean Mist Farms where he oversees production and harvesting, food safety, quality assurance, sustainability and post-harvest activities among other duties.
With over 20 years of foodservice experience, Chef Jess has led innovation for both emerging and mature brands. In her current role, she leads product development for Little Caesars in the US and International markets.
Intuitive Eating Registered Dietitian and nationally-recognized food and nutrition expert. Cara serves as a consultant and nutrition communications specialist.
Leah is a well-known North Carolina author, radio host, blogger and social media influencer. She is currently the most followed supermarket dietitian in the U.S on Twitter.
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDNPresident and CEO
Produce for Better Health FoundationSt. Louis, MORead Bio
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDNProduce for Better Health FoundationSt. Louis, MO
As the leading force at PBH, Wendy guides the Foundation’s efforts to advance the overall effort of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption for happier, healthier lives.
Dan SuttonPismo-Oceano Vegetable ExchangeOceano, CA
Dan is the General Manager of the Pismo Oceano Vegetable Exchange, a non-profit grower-owned cooperative with roots dating back to 1925. Dan also serves as the Chairman of the California LGMA.
Telehealth Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and named Top Pro by Diet Spotlight from 2017-2018. He is a Certified Personal Trainer, with specializations in Gerontological Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, Diabetes, Lactation, Weight Loss and Case Management.
Mark is the farm manager for Filice Farms in Hollister, CA. Filice Farms has been operating in San Benito County for 70 years and is proud to supply fresh produce to a variety of shippers who distribute their products worldwide.
More About the LGMA
The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement is a comprehensive food safety program created in 2007 to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks associated with lettuce and leafy greens. The LGMA operates with oversight from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Members of the LGMA include approximately 100 companies who grow and sell leafy greens. These members represent over 90 percent of all lettuce and leafy greens grown in California.
In order to be a certified member of the LGMA, companies must produce lettuce using a set of science-based food safety practices.
Member companies of the LGMA subject to government audits that verify required food safety practices are being followed on their farms. Members are audited by government officials from the California Department of Food and Agriculture an average of five times per year. As part of these audits, these businesses must be in 100% compliance with over 300 food safety checkpoints.
For more detailed information about the LGMA food safety program, please visit www.lgma.ca.gov
