Veggies From Mexico holds meeting with the FDA to strengthen cooperation on food safety matters
Culiacan, Sinaloa – Last December 18, the Veggies From Mexico farmingcommunity held an online meeting with representatives from the Human Foods Program (HFP) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with the purpose of introducing the program and strengthening communication and cooperation from both parties.
During the meeting, key subjects were discussed; such as agri-food, fruit and vegetable exports from Mexico into the United States, the farming production in the state of Sinaloa, as well as the high standards of food safety, social responsibility, and environmental protection that Veggies From Mexico manages as a community for their compliance.
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The representatives from Veggies From Mexico were:
• Antonio Beltran, Agricola Belher CEO and Veggies from Mexico Chairman
• Georgius Gotsis, Veggies From Mexico CEO
• Mario Robles, CIDH/CAADES CEO
• Francisco Campaña, Agricola Campaña CEO
From the FDA, the following attended the meeting:
• Conrad Choiniere, Office of Microbiological Food Safety CEO
• Samir Assar, Produce Safety Division CEO
• Mauricio Castelo, Produce Safety Division CEO
• Ana Lilia Sandoval, International Regulatory Analyst
• Stephanie Kenez, Regulatory Analyst
• Oscar Galagarza, Produce Safety Expert
• Trevor Gilbert, Consumer Safety Officer / Produce Safety
• Alexandre Da Silva, SBRBPAS Expert – Senior Parasitology Advisor
• Diane Ducharme, Consumer Safety Officer / Produce Safety
• Colleen Mattingly, International Policy Analyst
As a conclusion from the meeting, the FDA staff expressed their satisfaction with the progress and achievements of the Veggies From Mexico program. Also, discussions included managing potential crisis scenarios, presenting previous cases where the community has followed recommended guidelines, and it was agreed to explore future collaborations on projects that would benefit the industry, particularly in food safety.
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Also, the FDA offered the possibility of establishing a direct communication line to address specific queries from growers within the community, strengthening cooperation and the exchange of information from both parties.
Veggies From Mexico is an farming community made up by companies that grow and export fruits and vegetables in Mexico, mostly from Sinaloa. The goal is to represent, strengthen, and promote the Mexican fruit and vegetable in both domestic and foreign markets.
The community promotes responsible practices throughout the entire production chain, focusing on:
• Food safety, complying with high domestic and foreign standards.
• Social responsibility, through wellness, education, and health programs for staff and their families.
• Environmental protection, promoting sustainable farming production.
• Institutional cooperation, working with domestic and foreign organizations, such as regulatory authorities and associations in the sector.
Additionally, Veggies From Mexico acts as a bridge between farmers, authorities, and markets by strengthening confidence of Mexican vegetables being exported, mostly into the United States.
In short, Veggies From Mexico represents the commitment of the Mexican farmlands to quality, food safety, and social development.
Learn more about our Veggies From Mexico community:
Our Community – Veggies From Mexico
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