Our History
Exploring an Unprecedented Idea
In 2008, under the leadership and vision of Costco Wholesale, United Farm Workers and Oxfam America, a group of experts and industry leaders in agriculture came together to explore an unconventional idea: Could diverse interests across the produce industry align in new ways to offer greater assurance of fair working conditions for farmworkers and increased food safety?
Oxfam America facilitated a series of exploratory discussions with this group over the next three years, encouraging these visionary leaders to bring their organization’s values and agendas to the table. Collaboration among such a diverse group of stakeholders was unprecedented in the industry. Each representative took a risk in coming to the table, but recognized the potential for shared reward if they could collaborate to achieve their goals.
After a year of exploration, this group of unlikely allies had agreed that sustainable change would require a new approach: giving everyone an equal seat at the table. The core principles of the EFI concept emerged in 2011: continuous improvement, inclusion of worker voice, and rigorous standards developed through multi-stakeholder participation.
Between 2011 and 2014, incubated within Oxfam America, EFI built and piloted the program with a small group of Costco produce suppliers that were willing to test the concept. The first four operations were certified in 2014, after adapting the labor, food safety and pest management standards through workforce development training and worker verification of compliance. Having proved the concept, participating stakeholders agreed to launch EFI as an independent nonprofit social enterprise in early 2015 and the rest, as they say, is history!
United Farm Workers, Costco Wholesale and Oxfam America initiate a series of multistakeholder meetings to explore aligning the interests of growers, farmworkers and retailers. Represented were major food buyers, growers, farm worker unions, farm worker advocacy NGOs, consumer advocates, pest management scientists and experts in organization and workforce development.
Oxfam America serves as the incubator for EFI, assisting with resources and fundraising as the EFI program is developed and tested.
O’Driscoll was chosen to lead the EFI program while it operated under Oxfam America and then became Executive Director when the organization spun off as an independent nonprofit in 2015.
GoodFarms farming operations in Watsonville, Oxnard and Santa Maria test the program and give vital feedback.
Before EFI began certifying farms, Costco Wholesale committed to pay a premium on certified produce, which would fund a bonus to workers for the additional diligence required to comply with the EFI Standards.
GoodFarms Crisalida Berry Farm is the first in the nation to receive EFI certification.
L.A. Times journalists expose harsh working conditions and exploitation present in the U.S. fresh produce supply chain. The articles have a seismic effect on the industry and the need for social responsibility practices rise to the forefront.
GoodFarms’ El Milagro de Baja S. A. de C. V. is the first in Mexico to receive EFI certification.
Greenhouse grower, Windset Farms®, is the second grower and first in Canada to receive EFI certification.
EFI is recognized in Whole Foods Market’s Responsibly Grown campaign. Whole Foods becomes an official participating retail buyer in the EFI Program.
Alpine Fresh in Tecate, Mexico is the first packing operation certified by EFI.
NatureSweet’s operation in San Isidro, Jalisco, Mexico receives the 10th EFI certification.
As farms for Houweling’s Tomatoes, Keystone Fruit Marketing, Windset Farms, Alpine Fresh, NatureSweet Tomatoes and GoodFarms receive certification, EFI’s reach through certified farms passes 10,000 farmworkers.
As additional farms from Windset Farms, NatureSweet Tomatoes, GoodFarms and Alpine Fresh earn certifications, EFI’s reach to farmworkers through certified farms passes 15,000.
After conducting a strategic branding initiative, EFI launched a new logo along with a label for use on certified produce. The label takes its shape from the four-part leaf in the logo, which represents EFI’s four stakeholder groups: growers, workers, retailers and consumers.
Onions 52 receives 25th EFI certification for Hartley’s Produce onion farm in Prosser, Washington.
JV Smith Companies joins as a grower representative. National Center for Appropriate Technology comes on to serve as pest management expert.
The EFI Workforce Development Program trains farmworkers in communication, problem solving and conflict resolution. Managers and farmworkers report improved communication and work culture as a result of the skills developed during the training.
Alpine Fresh’s Importaciones Mundiales S. A. receives the first certification in Guatemala.
Trained farmworkers create cross-level Leadership Teams that work to meet and maintain compliance with the EFI Standards. Teams are often used to provide input to management on other issues on the farm and help drive efficiencies and business improvements beyond the EFI Standards.
Women have always been well-represented on EFI Leadership Teams. While women make up 36% of the total workforce on EFI-certified farms, they make up 42% of Leadership Team membership.
Including farmworkers on farms with active leadership teams working toward certification, EFI reaches over 30,000 farmworkers.
Developing farmworkers’ soft skills and providing the systems that engage them has allowed farming operations to experience improved organizational culture and management systems. Additionally, many farmworkers report taking the soft skills acquired during EFI trainings home to their families and communities.
Individual farmworkers report using the bonus to cover household necessities and special extras. A few ways farmworkers report using their bonus for buying food, shoes and clothing, paying utility bills, providing weekly allowance for children, taking the family out to dinner and saving for Christmas gifts.
Sweet corn grower Rogue River Farms receives EFI’s 30th certification after certifying all three of its locations.
