Deciduous tree fruits are not considered high-risk commodities when it comes to food safety, but shippers in the Pacific Northwest are working together as the produce industry faces heightened attention from consumers and legislators. The Pacific Northwest Food Safety Committee, an organization formed last year by the Columbia Gorge Fruit Growers, Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association, and Yakima Valley Growers and Shippers Association, held its first face-to-face meeting in late April. Nearly 90 Washington and Oregon orchardists and packing-house personnel gathered in Ellensburg, Washington, to learn about food-safety legislative proposals, new food safety requirements for school-lunch commodity purchases, and crisis management […]