On Thursday, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service announced this it is seeking comments regarding a federal marketing program to address the handling of fresh and fresh-cut leafy green vegetables. In a statement by United Fresh, President Tom Stenzel said that staff and association members would carefully review the USDA’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking before submitting comments. "We will look carefully at the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and review this with our members, volunteer leaders on our Food Safety and Government Relations Councils, and our Board to evaluate its pros and cons and then provided further comments to the agency," said Stenzel. "It is our overriding goal for consumers to have confidence in the safety of all leafy greens they purchase, and that those commodities are grown according to the same safety standards, no matter where produced in the United States or internationally." Comments must be received by December 3 and can be submitted online at http://www.regulations.gov/or mailed to: Docket Clerk, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, STOP 0237, Washington, D.C. 20250-0237. To provide United Fresh with your input, please contact Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy, at 202-303-3409.