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