Arizona Leafy Greens Month Celebrates Advent of Harvest Season

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(Phoenix, Ariz.) — In recognition of the bountiful harvest generated by Arizona’s abundant lettuce industry, Governor Doug Ducey has proclaimed the month of November Arizona Leafy Greens Month. The month celebrates the kickoff of Arizona’s leafy greens season, with representing the harvest and shipments of Arizona-grown lettuce throughout the United States and Canada. The season generally commences around mid-November and goes through March.

As the top producer of leafy greens during the winter months, Arizona’s leafy greens industry employs more than 20,000 and generates an estimated $1 billion in financial impacts to the state’s economy. Nearly 90 percent of the leafy greens lettuce consumed in the United States and Canada between the months of November through March is generated from Arizona.

To celebrate the season, the Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee will post photos of well-known Arizonans enjoying their lettuce, recipes and other informative information about lettuce on its Facebook and Twitter feeds. Prominent local figures include Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall and St. Francis Chef Aaron Chamberlin.

Over the past year, the Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee completed a video series that provides step-by-step instruction in its Food Safety Training Program. The video series, as well as all components of the organization’s industry-leading food safety program are available for purchase at www.arizonaleafygreens.org. The program and its components have been recognized as finalists for Best New Food Safety Solution at United Fresh in 2012 and 2014.