More than 60 food safety stakeholders from the produce industry met in Herndon, Va. last week to begin work on one of the most challenging subjects facing the industry today - Can we achieve a single food safety audit standard for pre-farm gate operations?

Participants in the Produce GAPs Harmonization Initiative's Technical Working Group were briefed on a comparison of standards published by the Canadian Horticultural Council and others in 2007 and 2008, new CanadaGAP standards, the Association of Food and Drug Official's Model Code for Produce Safety, FDA's Guide to Produce Farm Investigations, and the standards for leafy greens that growers must comply with under the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement. The briefings provided participants with a comprehensive background on the range and extent of food safety standards facing North American growers today.

The participants then divided into breakout groups to begin the harmonization process by looking at existing standards, finding the commonalities, bringing them together and assessing whether and how they would work for all fresh produce commodities, growing regions and size operations.

"This will not be an easy task." said Dr. David Gombas, United's senior vice president of food safety and technology "But, with the wide range of representation we saw at this meeting, an inclusive and transparent process and the backing of the produce business leaders on the Steering Committee, we have a very good chance of success."

The Technical Working Group will convene approximately once a month in order to meet their goal of a standard by October 2010.  The next meeting will be hosted by working group Chair Suresh DeCosta at McDonald's Headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., December 16 and 17.  Please contact Dr. Gombas for more information about the Produce GAPs Harmonization Initiative, or Erin Grether for additional information about future meetings.