Ag Associations Form Produce Traceability Initiative
November 1, 2007 
Three agricultural industry giants are teaming up to drive widespread adoption of effective practices in traceability throughout the produce supply chain.
The Produce Marketing Association (PMA), Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), and United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh) recently formed a joint Produce Traceability Initiative designed to focus on the necessity of using existing standards to implement adequate trace back and trace forward practices between supply chain partners.
“Traceability is critical to the produce industry because it can provide product control throughout the supply chain. The new joint CPMA, PMA, United Fresh traceability initiative is important because it takes what has been developed in the area of traceability and seeks to drive overall industry support and adoption. The recent food concerns and product recalls have made this even more critical than before with regulators and legislators looking at ways to ensure food safety, and traceability being a component of that. The industry must work together to ensure that effective traceability is done in a cost-effective way,” says United Fresh vice president of marketing and industry relations Amy Philpott.
The National Restaurant Association also demonstrated its approval when it strongly voiced its support of the Produce Traceability Initiative Oct. 15.
PMA, CPMA, and United Fresh held detailed discussions during PMA’s Fresh Summit convention in Houston Oct. 12-15. Traceability was one of the main topics covered in general sessions and workshops at the convention.
