California LGMA

What California LGMA does

California LGMA is a state-administered, industry-funded food safety certification program for California leafy greens growers, handlers, and shippers, established in 2007 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in response to the 2006 spinach E. coli outbreak. It operates as a quasi-governmental instrumentality under CDFA oversight, requiring members to implement science-based food safety practices verified through mandatory government audits averaging five visits per member per year, with each audit covering over 300 checkpoints. The program covers 98-99% of California leafy greens production and, together with Arizona LGMA, approximately 90-94% of U.S. leafy greens production, equating to over 55 billion servings annually.

The organization's core technology is a mandatory audit verification system anchored by the GreenLink data analytics platform and the Romaine Test & Learn data sharing program, which aggregates pathogen test data from over 90% of members across 75,000 acres. Supporting products include food safety audits, a technical resource library, worker training programs (including hand-wash apps in English and Spanish), and the Pre-Harvest Testing Program requiring pathogen testing when risk factors are present. Members receive LGMA certification enabling them to supply Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Wegmans, Yum! Brands, Sysco, and McDonald's, all of which participate in the monthly Leafy Greens Safety Coalition.

LGMA is self-funded through member assessments that are passed through to reimburse CDFA for audit costs, avoiding third-party conflicts of interest. The program is governed by an industry Advisory Board and operates with an 8-person core staff led by CEO Tim York (since January 2021). Notable recent strategic moves include the 2023 Romaine Test & Learn launch, the 2021 mandatory pre-harvest testing guidance, and the 2020 overhaul of over 50 food safety requirements following the 2018-2019 romaine outbreaks. Arizona LGMA's 2024 alignment with California standards extends the bi-state regulatory regime to near-national coverage.

Name

California LGMA

Legal name

California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement

Website

https://lgma.ca.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

California LGMA is a state-administered, mandatory food safety certification program for California leafy greens growers and handlers, covering 90-94% of U.S. production through government-audited science-based standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Safety Certification

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs) (AFALAMAI), Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA), Supplier Quality Assurance & Vendor Approval Programs (AFALALAB)

Keywords

• Food safety certification
• Leafy greens audits
• Produce safety standards
• Government audit verification
• Agricultural compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Salinas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Assessments: LGMA members (leafy greens handlers/shippers) pay assessments to fund the program. The organization then reimburses the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the cost of government audits conducted by third-party auditors. This self-funded model avoids conflicts of interest.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

California LGMA operates a mandatory, science-based food safety certification program for handlers, shippers, packers, and growers of California leafy greens. Members must implement required on-farm food safety practices, which are verified through regular government audits conducted by California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)-certified third-party inspectors. The program covers approximately 90-94% of U.S. leafy greens production and includes pathogen testing, water safety, traceback, and buffer zone requirements.

Product overview

California LGMA is a food safety certification program for leafy greens growers, not a traditional product company. The core offering is the LGMA Food Safety Program, which requires members to implement science-based food safety practices verified through regular government audits. Supporting products and services include Food Safety Audits, a Technical Resource Library with food safety metrics and checklists, Training Programs (including hand-washing training apps), the Romaine Test & Learn Data Sharing Program for aggregating pathogen test data, and the Pre-Harvest Testing Program requiring mandatory testing when risk factors are present.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LGMA Food Safety Program
• Government Food Safety Audits

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% compliance rate for water safety metrics
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Western GrowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Growers facilitates the systematic amendment process for LGMA Food Safety Practices based on a yearly calendar. They manage the leafygreenguidance.com website for stakeholder input and developed the GreenLink™ data sharing and analytics platform used by LGMA for the Romaine Test & Learn program.
• Center for Produce Safety (CPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGMA relies on CPS research to continually update and improve food safety metrics. CPS studies help inform understanding of risks and mitigation strategies for produce safety.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)coreOthersCDFA oversees the LGMA program and trains government auditors who verify food safety practices are being followed on farms. CDFA's Inspection Services Division conducts mandatory audits of all LGMA members.
• Arizona LGMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister LGMA program with standards almost identical to California LGMA. Together, the two programs cover 90-94% of the nation's leafy greens production. The Arizona program is considering adopting new water metrics developed by California LGMA.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)coreOthersFDA conducts outbreak investigations and issues reports that inform LGMA standards updates. FDA visited California to review new irrigation water requirements and expressed approval of LGMA's food safety improvements.
• UC Davis Western Center for Food SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the 5-year FDA California Central Coast environmental study that reinforced the effectiveness of LGMA food safety practices.
• Leafy Greens Safety CoalitioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMonthly meetings with major retail and foodservice buyers including Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Wegmans, Yum! Brands, Sysco, and McDonald's to align on food safety standards and policies.
• Produce Marketing Association (PMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational produce industry association collaborating on traceability pilot programs and produce safety initiatives.
• United Fresh Produce AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational produce industry association collaborating on traceability pilot programs and produce safety initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GLOBALG.A.P. Global GFSI-recognized scheme owner offering integrated farm assurance and produce safety certification to growers worldwide. Comparable as an industry-wide food safety standard adopted by major retailers, serving a similar buyer-driven assurance role for produce suppliers.
• BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards): Owns a GFSI-recognized food safety standard widely adopted by retailers globally for produce and other foods. Comparable to LGMA as a buyer-driven scheme owner whose certification is effectively required for market access to many retailers served by LGMA members.
• PrimusLabs: Third-party food safety auditing and certification provider for the fresh produce industry. Offers competing audit schemes and certification services used by produce buyers as alternatives to LGMA, including GFSI-benchmarked audits for leafy greens handlers.
• Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI): Owns the SQF food safety certification scheme, a GFSI-recognized private standard widely used by produce handlers and buyers. SQF competes with LGMA for buyer-driven food safety assurance, but as a private, voluntary scheme rather than a government-mandated one.
• Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement: Sister LGMA program covering nearly 100% of Arizona leafy greens production with standards virtually identical to California LGMA. The two programs together account for 90-94% of U.S. leafy greens production and frequently co-develop standards and educational tours.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Agricultural Marketing Service: Federal agency administering marketing orders, commodity grading, and the Produce Safety Rule. Comparable in that it sets and enforces agricultural marketing standards, but operates federally and across all commodities rather than focusing specifically on leafy greens.
• NSF International: Global food safety certification body offering GFSI-recognized standards and produce-specific audits. Comparable to LGMA as a third-party food safety assurance provider, though operates across all food categories rather than focusing on leafy greens.

Emerging players

• Center for Produce Safety: Nonprofit that funds and disseminates produce safety research used by LGMA and other produce schemes. Not a certification body, but a research-driven ecosystem participant whose outputs directly inform LGMA standards and competitor schemes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LGMAnews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCB9RsslTu_uK_9pqtYLcyqw
• Facebookfacebook.com/calgma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-leafy-greens-marketing-agreement
• Instagraminstagram.com/californialgma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California LGMA