by Peter O’Driscoll, Executive Director, EFI
By all accounts, 2006 was a watershed moment for the fresh produce industry. After an outbreak of spinach-borne E. Coli 0157:H7 sickened nearly 200 people in 26 states and claimed at least three lives, retailers, growers and regulatory agencies recognized an urgent need to raise the bar on food safety standards.
In a concerted effort to protect public health, as well as their brand reputation and future sales, industry stakeholders came together to require more stringent inspections and facility audits. Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act in 2011, with measures designed to identify and eliminate the spread of food-borne-pathogens. While those post-2006 efforts have failed to prevent subsequent outbreaks — witness the recent contamination of romaine lettuce — nobody could argue that the industry has failed to take food safety seriously.
2018 may yet prove to be a similar tipping point for the other great challenge that threatens the continuity of produce supply chains: the treatment of farmworkers. Immigration enforcement and demographic changes have conspired to create an agricultural labor shortage around the country that has growers competing with each other to attract workers.
Discussions about labor are increasingly common. Representatives of major trade associations talk openly about how to combat perceptions that workers are abused and underpaid. They highlight the need to improve workplace culture and communicate more effectively with employees. And in response to a 2014 Los Angeles Times series about harsh conditions on Mexican farms that export to the United States, the produce industry created an unprecedented Joint Committee on Responsible Labor Practices to identify and articulate principles to which all growers should adhere to guarantee the fair treatment of farmworkers.
After two years of deliberation and consultation, the Joint Committee has released its Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices on July 12. This industry-wide acknowledgment of the importance of fair working conditions essentially elevates labor concerns to the same level as food safety among priorities for the produce sector. At Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), we have always maintained that food safety is rooted in worker dignity and depends on a healthy and collaborative workplace culture that values the voice and experience of all whose hard work brings healthy fresh produce to the marketplace.
The Charter affirms a set of values in three main areas: Respect for Laws at Work, Respect for Professional Conduct, and Respect for Human Rights. The sections on legal compliance and human rights (the latter of which aligns closely with the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work) do not break new ground. However, the emphasis on professional conduct, covering dialogue with workers, inclusive management systems and a culture of continuous improvement signals an important commitment from the industry to make farmworker welfare a priority – provided growers have the tools and verification systems to foster this type of work environment.
EFI has championed the ethical treatment of farmworkers through a training and compliance model built on over 300 standards and a process for culture change through workforce development. This model takes a transformative approach to agriculture by engaging all levels of the produce supply chain — from buyer to grower-shipper to farm leadership to farmworkers — to create a collaborative approach to learning, problem-solving and business performance. EFI is demonstrating that our skill-building approach to continuous improvement on the farms we certify is raising food safety and labor standards while helping farms work more effectively.
We want our “Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured” label to help consumers and produce buyers recognize growers who are industry leaders because they invest in and listen to their workers. EFI wants to help make the Ethical Charter a meaningful tool for industry change by shining a bright light on the companies that live by its principles and are committed to training and empowering the farmworkers who are closest to our food.
For more information on how EFI can help with the implementation of the Ethical Charter including evaluation, workforce development and certification, visit https://equitablefood.org/.
Peter O’Driscoll serves as Executive Director of EFI and works with major buyers, suppliers, workers and consumer groups to provide greater assurance regarding supply chain conditions, while generating measurable value for all stakeholders.
