Our commitment to food safety

At Hitchcock Farms, our employees are our first line of defense when it comes to food safety. All of our employees are trained in our food safety policies and procedures and are proactive in their enforcement. Hitchcock Farms has been a signatory of the Leafy Greens Handlers Marketing Agreement (LGMA), since its inception in 2007.

IN-HOUSE PROGRAMS

In 2006, we launched a comprehensive in-house food safety program, led by our food safety director, who holds an advanced degree in food science and technology. Every aspect of our program adheres to manuals covering Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Harvesting Practices (GHP), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Our program includes extensive personnel training and monitoring to ensure compliance with those practices as well as standards for managing water resources and pre/post harvest sanitizers. Hitchcock Farms strives to exceed current food safety standards and stays on top of emerging science and technology to ensure our program is always on the cutting edge of food safety.

TEAM TRAINING

Our employees receive monthly ongoing training in food safety, product handling, and hygiene. This training is supported by ongoing assessments and supervision to ensure practices are consistently applied. With continuing education for supervisors and foremen, we are able to verify our training is up to date with current industry standards.

WATER TESTING

We conduct regular risk assessments of all water sources. All monthly water testing is done per (LGMA) Leafy Greens Handlers Marketing Agreement metrics and standards. Any open water source used for overhead irrigation of leafy greens adheres to the strict LGMA metrics implemented in 2019.

TRACEABILITY

In addition to our internal food safety systems, Hitchcock Farms recently implemented the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), an industry-wide system that allows us to trace products quickly and accurately in the event of an outbreak or recall.

This means we can quickly trace a contamination issue back to its source, pull the affected product from distribution before it reaches more consumers, and keep the rest of our supply chain running.

GROWN IN CALIFORNIA

All of our produce is currently grown in California, giving us a shorter, more controlled supply chain from field to customer.

We keep our growing operations local, so fewer people handle the product between harvest and delivery, and we can closely oversee growing, harvesting, and cooling conditions ourselves.

THIRD PARTY AUDITS

We regularly perform voluntary self-audits as well as third-party audits, which certify our operations. In addition, we do surprise mock recalls to ensure our traceback systems are in place should the need arise to quickly trace back an issue with our product.

These annual third-party audits include: