It ’s a class for expansion and construction name realisation .
Those are two critical end for the Equitable Food Initiative , a labor and supply chain certification organic structure ground in Washington , DC . The organisation , whose standard and certificate is design to apply to fruit and vegetable crop and include come up to a variety of aspects of the business organisation – from labor shape to food rubber to pest direction – was founded as an independent organization in 2015 .
As it travel out of its set about - up phase , EFI has reached a few notable milestone , namely expanding into one unexampled country and count 30 farm credentials to its name . “ We ’re delighted to certify our first operation in Guatemala — this mean we have four unlike countries including the United States , Canada and Mexico with certified operations , ” say EFI ’s Peter O’Driscoll . He also notes that EFI has another 17 more companies who presently have trained leadership team on their farms and are in the audited account and certification process .
Farm in Guatemala that was late certified by EFI .
At the same time , on a enceinte scale of measurement , EFI and the subject it ’s raising awareness around , continues to acquire more aid industry wide , including from trade show and associations . Last summertime for example , the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices was stick in by the Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association . More recently , EFI and GoodFarms , the Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce brand that was an early adoptive parent of Equitable Food Initiative ’s workforce development and certification computer programme , were collectively recognized for creating the EFI Continuous Improvement Teams on Good Farms ’ operations in Mexico . This initiative was included in Gateway to Innovation showcase at the Viva Fresh Expo last month .
Industry response“It ’s exhort to us to see how the industry is embracing what we ’re doing , ” say O’Driscoll . “ Our rating study are showing the industry all of the convinced effects of our example and it ’s really good to see them as a whole recognizing this glide slope as an innovation . ”
Farm worker at recently endorse farm in Guatemala .
It ’s also working on consumer recognition . Next month , in Costco stores in California , Oregon and Washington , EFI is doing a promotional hunting expedition for consumer about what the Responsibly Grown , Farmworker Assured label means . “ Consumers get to vote with their food dollars every day , ” says EFI ’s LeAnne R. Ruzzamenti . “ As they watch about what our recording label means , they bring in that they have a selection with every purchase . ”
Looking forwards towards the 2nd half of 2019 , EFI hop to hit a few sector in agriculture that it has n’t worked with yet . And it also is work on its Global Food Safety Initiative accreditation . “ We ’re in the process of getting that done and hope to by the second one-half of 2019 . And then our certification becomes a one - stop shop class audit for the industriousness , ” allege O’Driscoll .
For more information : Peter O’DriscollEquitable Food InitiativeTel : +1 ( 202 ) 730 - 6672[email protected]https://equitablefood.org/
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