Strawberries make it to your fridge in perfect condition, but do you know how they were grown? Strawberries are handpicked, carefully pulled off the stem and packed right into the clamshell. They grow low to the ground, which means farmworkers must harvest while in a stooped or bent position, putting strain on their backs.
The harvest process requires a great deal of physical effort. Still, farmworkers are extremely quick and efficient (as any other agricultural worker) while ensuring only the highest quality berries are harvested.
Strawberry growers like GoodFarms, Windset Farms and Central West Produce recognize farmworkers’ contributions and are working diligently to protect and incentivize farm labor. We invite you to support farmers who are making a positive change in the lives of agricultural workers by selecting strawberries under the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured® label at Whole Foods Market and Costco Wholesale stores.
EFI-certified farms are:
Reducing exposure to pesticides
Certain plants contain properties that either invite beneficial insects or repel harmful insects. The mixed flowers planted at the end of each strawberry work as a “trap crop”. They attract damaging pests away from the strawberries, along with natural predators.
Strawberry growers in the EFI Program use natural pest control methods as part of the integrated pest management (IPM) standards. IPM reduces exposure to pesticides among farmworkers and their families.
Harvested by workers who are treated right and compensated fairly
Growers in the EFI Program follow strict labor practices, sensible pesticide policies and safety protocols, and they provide fair compensation. In this time of global crisis, labor-management collaboration teams use their EFI training to create farm-specific solutions for farmworkers.
Another benefit of supporting the EFI Program is that each purchase of Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured fresh produce generates a bonus for the many people that harvest your certified food.
Improving the way workers harvest strawberries
EFI labor-management collaboration teams on certified operations ensure the farm is meeting the rigorous food safety, pest management and labor standards. These teams often address issues that improve the working environment.
One of these teams identified an ongoing issue and used the EFI problem-solving model to address it. The wheels on the strawberry carts weren’t ideal for navigating the strawberry fields and made the work harder. The company invested in new equipment defined and tested by workers.
Learn more about your strawberries
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Written by: Rebecca Castrejon, Community Engagement Officer for Equitable Food Initiative.
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