Traceability, food safety and the future of substrates

How evolving regulations and grower expectations shape the industry

Ask the Expert (Sponsored) Offering some of the most sought-after substrates, Berger is considered one of the world’s leading producers of horticultural and agricultural mixes, combining three generations of scientific and practical knowledge. With eight processing plants and thirteen harvesting sites across North America, Berger meets the highest modern, sustainable production standards in the industry. Brent Kenney, CEA key account manager at Berger, and Pauline Portal, product manager at Berger, share their expertise on traceability of substrates, food safety and what this means for growers. Traceability has become an increasingly important topic for growers to ensure food safety evolves and improves with the growth of the CEA industry. Contaminations and certain risks can come from direct or indirect sources. While bacteria are the most common contamination and cause the most damage, foodborne contamination can derive from viruses, parasites, toxins or heavy metals, according to Portal. Manufacturers involved in the food chain bear the responsibility for ensuring food is grown and handled in such a way that minimizes the risk of contamination, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “At Berger, we strongly believe it is critical that substrate manufacturers who supply this market should establish some food safety procedures,” Portal said. As food safety regulations evolve, growers are facing both current compliance requirements and anticipate regulatory shifts. “Many producers are required to perform food safety audits to ensure their production systems meet qualified food safety standards,” Kenney said. “There was also an expectation of new regulation through the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) Food Traceability Rule (FSMA 204) that will be implemented in July 2028.” With FSMA 204, enhanced record-keeping of every input in the greenhouse will be mandated, along with data-sharing across all supply chain partners, to ensure rapid response to a potential risk, according to Portal. “In the next few years, we expect more requests and demands regarding how we integrate our traceability and food safety programs with our partners,” Portal said. “Growers will require more risk analysis and expect risk-based preventative controls to be implemented. They will constantly raise their own bar to ensure the quality and safety of the food they produce for consumers.” Industry shifts and input expectations As growers are aware, manufacturers are expected to maintain a food safety culture, ensuring the quality and consistency of the products supplied, while providing growers with complete traceability. “We hear a lot about a ‘cleaner’ product, free of harmful pathogens, both food-borne and plant,” Kenney said. “Most importantly, growers expect their vendors to provide guaranteed assurances regarding the quality and safety of substrates.” Practical traceability in substrates According to Portal, traceability should provide a product code, offering comprehensive tracking of each aspect of the manufacturing process, which indicates the origin of all inputs, the format, production date, unit number and product sites and shifts. “This should be supported by comprehensive testing of every input used within a production lot, with a sampling and testing process that ensures quality and consistency throughout,” Portal said. Through rigorous testing and adequate production protocols, potential risk to crops can be properly identified and mitigated, according to Kenney. “Growers should work closely with their suppliers to identify, assess and mitigate potential food safety risks and have a complete understanding of the physical and chemical properties of the substrate they use,” Kenney said. “It’s important to understand your supplier’s food safety culture and ensure they are performing the proper testing and providing the necessary certificates of analysis.” Future-proofing substrate choices Kenney recommends growers align themselves with suppliers exhibiting a strong food safety culture, supported by meticulous manufacturing and testing protocols. “The relationship growers have with their supplier should extend beyond a transactional relationship and should develop into a strategic partnership,” Kenney said. © Berger 2026 To learn more about Berger, visit www.berger.com