Laura Mrachek is the new Washington State Hort Association president. As the new president of the Washington State Horticultural Association, Laura Mrachek is leading an effort to turn the hassle of complying with food-safety requirements into opportunities for the state’s tree fruit industry. Fruit packers are already dealing with the headaches of being audited under a plethora of food safety programs required by their customers. But now, some purchasers are also requiring food-safety certification on the farm. Mrachek says addressing food-safety issues is no longer an option for growers. “It needs to be part of your business plan,” she said. […]