New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball has announced the release of new guidance document from the Produce Traceability Blue Ribbon Task Force that he says will help to further strengthen New York’s produce supply system.

The task force is made up of New York farmers and representatives from produce distributors and retailers. The task force reviews and makes recommendations to further advance New York’s tracking and tracing system for produce grown in the State. 

“Food safety is everyone’s business, and I applaud the Produce Traceability Blue Ribbon Task Force for helping to make sure that traceability and food safety practices are key components of New York’s food businesses,” Commissioner Ball said.

The document includes guidelines, and voluntary best management practices and protocols, to enhance produce traceability in New York State. The document is designed to bolster the produce supply system, help New York consumers to more easily identify wher their produce is grown and processed, and allow the state to trace the origin of a food product more quickly during a foodborne illness investigation.

“Food-borne pathogens can cause serious illness and notification of exposure to potentially contaminated foods will aid in preventing further illnesses,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “This best-practice resource is a welcome addition to New York’s food safety protocol.”

Members of the Produce Traceability Blue Ribbon Task Force met over several months to devise the voluntary best management practices document, which was designed to strengthen how the produce industry traces produce through the produce supply chain. The document can be used as a guide for a diverse array of food businesses, including those hoping to expand their current traceability efforts, those interested in beginning the implementation of an internal traceability system, and those that handle products listed on the proposed U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Traceability List.

The goal of this collaborative effort was to provide useful information for businesses regardless of their size, while acknowledging that the implementation of any of the traceability steps listed in the document will bolster current traceability efforts within the produce industry in New York State. The full guidance document can be found here.