Ethical Charter Implementation Program Launches With First Cohort of Growers

and Suppliers

The Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP) aims to recognize and strengthen labor practices throughout the fresh produce industry and begin assessing practices at field level.

November 1, 2023, marked the launch of the ECIP LAB platform. Participating buyers have now started reaching out to suppliers to invite them to join the inaugural cohort.

Growers and suppliers interested in participating can reach out to support@ethicalcharterprogram.org to request an invite to ECIP LAB.

For more information visit the ECIP website or watch an on-demand replay of the webinar introducing the program.

Launched with initial funding from the Walmart Foundation and administered by Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) and The Sustainability Consortium, ECIP is overseen by an advisory group comprising the leading buyers, suppliers and key stakeholders above.

Rouge River Farms Hosts Multi-Day Celebration to Engage Employees in Review of the EFI Standards

The Rouge River Farms operation in Verona, Virginia, hosted its second annual EFI Fair to engage employees in review of the EFI Standards in a memorable and fun way.

Estefani Oceja, a member of the organization's Food Safety Team and EFI Leadership Team, was the visionary behind the event, which was carried out with the support of the rest of the EFI Leadership Team and Compliance Manager Marisela Martinez. 

The enthusiastic response to this method of review and training has set the stage for the return of the EFI Fair again next year, promising more opportunities for learning, collaboration and celebration. 

Find out more here.

The four-day celebration facilitated Leadership Team member-led trainings and EFI Standards refreshers for the staff, complete with cake.

Homegrown Organic Farms Maintains Strong Worker Safety and Well-Being Initiatives Through Daily and Monthly Opportunities for Engagement

Homegrown Organic Farms knows that promoting worker well-being includes ensuring employees feel safe at work.

In an interview with EFI for the "Tip of the Iceberg" podcast, Blanca Acosta, Director of Care and Culture at Abundant Harvest Organics, outlined some of the strategies the company is taking to prioritize safety and employee well-being:

• Monthly tailgate meetings (according to job type) to engage workers in safety training, reviewing topics such as illness prevention, hygiene and fall prevention.
• Daily gathering of all staff for exercises and stretches to prevent repetitive motion injuries.
• Daily opportunities to incorporate worker voice and worker-led initiatives, resulting in facility, culture and safety improvements.

Find out more or listen to the complete episode here.

Veg-Fresh Farms, based in Corona, California, recently achieved EFI certification covering its lemons, navel oranges and Valencia oranges.

Molly Williams, Food Safety & Organic Compliance Coordinator for Veg-Fresh Farms, credits the many small steps the company has taken in order to achieve EFI certification with bringing the benefits of improved organizational culture, increased safety and increased employee engagement.

"Little things like adding stretches to reduce repetitive motion injuries communicates to workers that we care about them and that we understand their day-to-day activities," Williams commented. "You can see that our workers are happier because we are listening to them. That is not something we had before EFI came to our facility."

Veg-Fresh Farms is a grower and national distributor of organic and conventional fruits and vegetables with grower partners in the United States and Mexico.

USDA Grant May Cover Cost of EFI Training, Certification, Recertification or Audits

In October, EFI announced that a new grant program from USDA might help growers cover the cost of EFI training, certification, recertification and audits, with grants ranging from $25,000 to $2 million. 

EFI encourages farming operations to apply now for a USDA grant under the new Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Program (FLSP).

The 2023 FLSP grant application period has been extended and now closes January 3, 2024. Find more information here.

The Importance of Being Family-Friendly for Fresh Produce Companies

A recent And Now U Know article pulled from the experience of several EFI-certified companies to highlight the benefits of prioritizing worker well-being and supporting workers with families for both the companies and their employees. 

Read the article here.

Equitable Food Initiative partners with growers and retailers to create a more transparent food chain, safer food and healthier places to work.