In September, The Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF) hosted its annual Safe Fruits and Veggies Farm Tour and invited a group of registered dietitians to visit Central Valley farms to learn about the health and safety of California produce. Each of the invited dietitians reach thousands of people daily via their social media channels and blogs, making them valuable sources for sharing information about California agriculture with consumers.
During the tour, California Citrus Mutual helped AFF coordinate stops at Porterville Citrus and McKellar Family Farms to teach tour guests about California grown citrus.
“We observed the entire process of oranges from when they are picked at the field to when they are added to the boxes to be shipped,” said tour guest Vandana Sheth, RD, CDCES, FAND about her visit to Porterville Citrus.
“Everything was extremely transparent – no hidden agendas, and every aspect of these farms was open to see,” stated Manuel Villacorta, MS, RDN in his recent blog about the tour.
Some key takeaways tour guests shared with their audiences were:
- California produce is safe and healthy, and all Americans should be eating more of it.
- Many California farms are family owned and multigenerational.
- Farmers care deeply for the land and the product they grow.
- California farmers use safe, sustainable farming practices, regardless of the whether the produce is grown organically, conventionally, on a family farm or a corporate farm.
You can read blogs from some of AFF’s Safe Fruits and Veggies Farm Tour guests below.
Are Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Safe to Eat? – Mandy Enright, MS, RDN
What I learned on My Farm Tour in San Joaquin Valley – Vandana Sheth, RD, CDCES, FAND
Take a Look Inside My Safe Fruits and Veggies Farm Tour – Manuel Villacorta, MS, RDN
Articles are property of CCM; please seek permission from CCM for the use of articles and content in any way.
