SALINAS, CA - Food safety remains top of mind for businesses across the industry, and that is where the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) is keeping its focus as it looks to bolster its team of industry experts. The organization recently announced it has appointed Alyssa Licata as its new Compliance Officer. Licata will replace Jonathan Field, who is set to retire this month after serving as Compliance Officer since the LGMA’s establishment in 2007.

Licata has been on staff for several weeks and will be taking over all of Field’s former responsibilities as she works out of the LGMA’s new Salinas-based office. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from California State University, Monterey, and most recently served as a Lab Manager for Seed Dynamics, according to a press release. Before that, she worked as a Food Safety Specialist for Markon Cooperative, bringing with her a scientific approach to understanding why food and environmental safety were important to the company’s 250 produce suppliers.

During her time at Markon, Licata oversaw a supplier food safety database, created Standard Operating Procedure documents to improve workflow, and conducted departmental research in understanding E. coli presence among leafy greens.

“We are very pleased to welcome Alyssa to the LGMA as our new Compliance Officer,” said Tim York, Chief Executive Officer of the California LGMA. “We anticipate her skill set as a microbiologist will provide the LGMA with a unique skill set, new eyes, and a fresh perspective. We are very much looking forward to having her on the LGMA team.”

LGMA’s Compliance Officer reviews all government audit reports of member farms, and works to ensure any infractions cited during these mandatory audits have been corrected. The Compliance Officer is also tasked with making sure corrections have been verified via a follow-up audit. Overall, the Compliance Officer’s role is to guarantee that members are 100 percent compliant with all required food safety practices under the LGMA, as noted in the release.

“The job of the Compliance Officer is extremely important. When customers purchase leafy greens from our members, it’s with the expectation that all of the LGMA’s required food safety practices are being followed and verified by government audits. The Compliance Officer’s role is to double check to make sure this is happening. We thank Jon Field very much for his many years of dedicated service to our industry and we wish him the best of luck in his retirement,” York added.

Congratulations to Alyssa Licata on landing this exciting new role, and to Jonathan Field on his upcoming retirement!

California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement