With her retirement from Naturipe Farms and the ECIP Advisory Group, we celebrate Donna Lynn Brown’s lasting impact on ECIP and the produce industry as a whole. As Sr. Director of Food Safety & Social Responsibility at Naturipe, Donna Lynn brought a practical, grower-centered lens to every conversation.
Donna Lynn believed strongly that social responsibility programs should work for farms, especially small and mid-sized operations, not add unnecessary burden. Having seen the challenges of overlapping audit systems previously in her career, she valued approaches that emphasized efficiency, education and continuous improvement.
That’s why she championed ECIP.
Donna Lynn often pointed out that many growers are already doing the right things, investing in their workers, supporting families and building strong workplace cultures. What they sometimes need is structure, tools and recognition. She appreciated that ECIP provides exactly that: a way to strengthen programs, document progress, and take pride in the work being done.
Above all, Donna Lynn believed in recognizing people. From field crews and mechanics to food safety teams and harvest leaders, she consistently highlighted the skill and care that farmworkers bring to producing high-quality berries. Her leadership reflected that respect.
Thoughtful, direct and grounded in real-world experience, Donna Lynn helped shape ECIP into a program that supports growers while raising the bar for the industry.
We’re grateful for her voice, her advocacy and the steady leadership she brought to the table. We wish you a fantastic retirement, Donna Lynn!