Fresh salad producer Fresh Express will provide $500,000 to the Center for Produce Safety’s (CPS) Campaign for Produce Safety, CPS and company officials announced today. This commitment from Fresh Express raises total contributions received to date to $8,702,000.
“At Fresh Express, we are passionate and committed to ensuring a safe food supply for our customers. Food safety for us starts when the first seed is planted, and we continue this rigorous process throughout the harvesting and growing stages until our salads are delivered to our customers,” said Fresh Express CEO Kenneth Diveley. “We are honored to help support the CPS in this mission so that consumers can remain confident in the safety of their produce.”
“Fresh Express joins a growing list of industry leaders who understand that food safety is critical to consumer confidence in fresh produce and in the fresh produce supply chain – and who want to ensure that CPS will continue to help answer our industry’s food safety questions well into the future,” said Stephen Patricio, chairman of CPS’ Board of Directors, and Westside Produce president and CEO. “We thank them for their leadership, and for the precedent they are setting for their industry peers.”
Since it was founded in 2007, CPS has provided $18.4 million to fund more than 100 produce-specific food safety research projects. Launched in September, the Center for Produce Safety seeks to secure $20 million over a five-year period. Those funds will position CPS by the end of the decade to double its output of industry-focused food safety research, and to broaden the scope of that research geographically and throughout the supply chain.
The following companies and organizations have contributed to the Campaign for Produce Safety as of February 5, 2016.To contribute and join these industry leaders, contact Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, CPS executive director, by telephone at 530-554-9706 or by email at bonnie@centerforproducesafety.org.
Companies and organizations noted with asterisks have given not only to the Campaign for Produce Safety, but also to past CPS fundraising efforts.
Contribution of $1,000,000+
Produce Marketing Association *
Taylor Farms *
Contribution of $500,000 – $999,999
Washington State Tree Fruit Association
California Fresh Fruit Association
Dole
Fresh Express, Incorporated
Contribution of $250,000 – $499,999
Agricola El Toro
California Melon Research Board * / California Cantaloupe Advisory Board *
Georgia Pacific *
Sysco
Tanimura & Antle *
The Wonderful Company
Contribution of $100,000 – $249,999
GreenGate Fresh
JV Smith Companies *
Lipman Produce
Pacific International Marketing
Target Corporation
Western Precooling Systems
Bolthouse Farms
Church Brothers / True Leaf Farms
Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association
International Paper *
Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce
Castellini Group of Companies *
Driscoll’s *
Florida Tomato Committee *
Freshway Foods
Markon Cooperative, Inc. *
McEntire Produce, Inc.
Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. *
The Oppenheimer Group
organicgirl
Ready Pac Foods, Inc.
Contribution up to $99,999
Sunview Marketing International *
H-E-B *
Martori Farms
Mission Produce, Inc.
Tree Top, Inc.
Loblaw Companies Limited
California Pear Advisory Board
California Tomato Farmers
Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
Giant Eagle, Inc.
Monsanto Company *
Pasquinelli Produce Company
Rice Fruit Company