How Mexico’s Horticultural Export Sector Responded to the Food Safety Modernization Act

by Steven Zahniser, Belem Avendaño Ruiz, and Gregory Astill

ERS researchers conducted interviews with Mexican horticultural growers focused on the export market to explore how their industry responded to the new requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Half of the 26 companies interviewed identified training the head of the firm’s food safety program as the main challenge in complying with the act. Medium-to-large companies (300–1,000 seasonal workers) were more likely to have modified their food safety activities and to hold 3 or more food safety certifications—facilitating the sector’s growing presence in the U.S. market.

How to Cite:

Zahniser, S., Avendano, B.A., & Astill, G. (2023). How Mexico's horticultural export sector responded to the Food Safety Modernization Act (ERR-319). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. https://dx.doi.org/10.32747/2023.8134140.ers

Keywords: FSMA, Food Safety Modernization Act, Mexico, United States, trade, horticulture, tomatoes, strawberries, green onions, cantaloupe, outbreaks, food safety standards

In this publication...

• Entire Report
• Report summary