WASHINGTON – Equitable Food Initiative, the capacity-building and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer advocacy groups, recently announced that Rouge River Farms has added a fourth location to its list of EFI-certified operations, successfully certifying its entire supply chain.
Rouge River Farms offers a year-round supply of fresh sweet corn from operations in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Ontario, Canada. Rouge River had previously achieved EFI certification for its three U.S. operations and recently earned certification for its fourth and final location in Canada.
“Rouge River Farms has been a great example of a collaborative partner, working with EFI since 2017 to achieve and maintain certification for its three U.S. farms,” said Peter O’Driscoll, executive director of EFI. “With the addition of their Canadian operation, Rouge River Farms has certified its entire supply chain, which is clear proof of the company’s commitment to continuous improvement through the inclusion of worker voice and agency,” he concluded.
The EFI certification program assists farming operations like Rouge River Farms to:
§ Reduce audit fatigue by meeting the labor, food safety and pest management requirements of multiple retailers through a single certification.
§ Develop cross-functional collaborative teams that foster consistency and efficiency.
§ Promote a culture of food safety through safer and healthier work environments.
§ Build lines of communication and problem-solving across departments.
§ Commit to continuous improvement to ensure compliance and drive business performance.
“Rouge River Farms is committed to responsible farming because sustainability and social responsibility aren’t just trends, they have a direct effect on our future success,” said Margaret Stuart, senior compliance manager at Rouge River Farms. “The EFI certification program has allowed us to document marked improvements at all our operations. We’re grateful to have a partner in EFI that provides us with tools to support our workforce and continue achieving next-level success, which is why we chose to pursue the certification for our Canadian operation.”
Industry members interested in learning more about the EFI certification program, workforce development tools, training modules and educational resources can access information online at equitablefood.org.
About EFI
Equitable Food Initiative is a multistakeholder, nonprofit capacity-building and certification organization that works to improve the lives of farmworkers and drive business performance by integrating worker voice and engagement throughout the supply chain. EFI brings together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to create assessment, training and organizational development programs that support continuous improvement and address the industry’s most pressing problems. Its unparalleled certification program sets standards for labor practices, food safety and pest management while engaging workers at all levels on the farm to produce Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured® fruits and vegetables. For more information about Equitable Food Initiative, visit equitablefood.org.
View a list of EFI-certified farms at equitablefood.org/farms.
