Driscoll’s, CA
Family owned by Driscolls 100 years
Jurisdiction over growers worldwide – must conform to U.S. FDA and EPA as well as company standards
Contact: Christina Sanchez, Food Safety Dept.
Products:
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries
10%-20% plants now coming from their own organic nurseries
Increasing use of organics reduces need for pesticides
R&D to develop disease resistant, good tasting berries
Developing an all organic nursery in CA
Certification is time consuming on all levels
Food safety:
Priority of all growers
"Global Food Safety Program" based on GAP and enforced at farms worldwide – FDA and GLOBALGAP standards
Registered and complies with Bioterrorism Act – 24 hour call center
"Track my Berries" on boxes – use code to trace back to crop
Random audits by third party – 1400 audits in past 12 months
Green:
Changing over to all recyclable packaging
Pesticide use:
If used, must conform to U.S. FDA and EPA globally
IPM – individual farms choose methods (within above guidelines)
Fertilizer use:
Use of beneficial organisms and field monitoring
Seeds grown in controlled nurseries – soil free of pesticides and disease, then shipped to growers
Each location farmer uses biological diversity of fields with minimum agricultural input; crop rotation used
Sustainable:
Monitored use of irrigation water
Commitment to sustainability – traditional and now organic
Independent testing by Primus Labs
HACCP approved -Fair Trade certified
Other state/federal certification:
Certified CCOF (CA Certified Organic Farmers)
USDA National Organic Standards
Guaranteed by Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act
Dept. of Labor/OSHA compliant