The Center For Produce Safety Adds $200,000 For Research
November 22, 2011 Tweet//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The Castellini Group of Companies and Fresh Innovations/J-V Farms stepped up to join the growing list of contributors to the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) Campaign for Research. These funds will support CPS’s competitive research grant programs. Both companies have pledged $100,000.
“Our group of companies believes this contribution is a very important investment in the future of our business. The Center for Produce Safety is one of the best opportunities we have to provide timely, relevant research to guide our industry in providing the safest fresh produce for our families and customers,” said Victor Smith, CEO of Fresh Innovations, LLC. (Fresh Innovations and J-V Farms are part of a group of companies owned by the Smith family in Yuma, AZ. They produce fresh leafy greens on over 14,000 acres in Southwest Arizona and North Baja, Mexico, and offer both conventional and organic commodities.)
The Campaign for Research was launched with the Wegman Family Charitable Foundation’s $250,000 donation in June 2011 at the CPS Produce Research Symposium in Orlando, Florida. Since then, over $1 million has been pledged by the produce industry for new research. “The entire produce industry — from the supply side to the retail and foodservice side — is certainly stepping up to support the research that is needed,” stated CPS Chairman Steve Patricio. “This teamwork will help us all as we seek answers to produce safety questions.”
The Center for Produce Safety will issue a request for proposals on Feb. 1, 2012. The call will identify core food safety research needs as well as commodity specific research priorities identified through the CPS Partner in Research Program.
Source: Center for Produce Safety press release