National Cantaloupe Food Safety Guidelines: Public Comment Period Now Open for Working Group 1
The National Cantaloupe Working Group 1 — focused on Growing, Harvesting, and Post-Harvest Packing shed activities — has opened the public comment period for its draft National Guidance Document. We invite industry members, researchers, and stakeholders to review the draft and submit feedback to help strengthen this guidance document.
Comment Period Open: May 1, 2025
Comment Period Closes: May 31, 2025
Steps to Submit Your Comments
Access the clean version of the draft below by clicking: Download the Clean Draft.
2. Add Your Comment to the Word Draft:
Open the draft and use the “New Comment” and the “Tracked Changes” feature in Microsoft Word to provide detailed suggestions. Please include your rationale and explain how your proposed change would improve food safety. In the submission, you will have the opportunity to attach documentation to support the rationale of your document. Note: Comments submitted without rationale will not be considered.
Once you’ve added your comments, upload your revised draft and complete the form linked below by clicking: Submit Your Comments. The comments submitted will be made publicly available under the “Submitted Comments” Section.
Save the Date for Our Webinar Discussion
A webinar will be held on June 12th at 11:00 AM PT to review all feedback and discuss proposed changes with stakeholders.
We look forward to your input as we work together to build practical, science-based guidance for cantaloupe food safety.
Questions
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to Sonia Salas (ssalas@wga.com) or Gustavo Reyes (greyes@wga.com).
Featuring Karen Ross
Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture
KAREN ROSS was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture on January 9, 2019, by Governor Gavin Newsom.
In re-appointing Secretary Ross, Governor Newsom cited her unmatched leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally and in California, in areas including environmental stewardship, climate change adaptation and trade.
Secretary Ross was initially appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2011.
Jason Resnick joined Western Growers in 2003 and now serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. His responsibilities include overseeing the organization’s legal department, trade practices department, H-2A Services division, and corporate governance as Western Growers’ corporate secretary. Jason provides advice and counsel on various legal, business and policy matters. Jason has primary staff liaison responsibility over the Western Growers Board of Directors, and the WG Executive and Labor Committees.
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