The People Behind EFI: Claudia Acosta
Claudia Acosta does a little bit of everything at the Peterson Family Packing Shed, which packs fruit for Homegrown Organic Farms. She manages the chemical levels for the citrus washing machinery during citrus season, is a part of the quality control team and assists with lot changes. Since Homegrown Organic Farms started the EFI training and certification process in early 2020, Acosta took on another role: EFI Leadership Team member.
We talked with Acosta about the impact of EFI training and certification.
How has EFI training and certification impacted your workplace?
The most important thing I’ve seen is that the people here now have more confidence to speak up and to communicate with each other. The communication is better. The EFI Program has served us well because now we can bring up our concerns.
How would you describe your role as an EFI Leadership Team representative?
We know what the concerns and problems of the workers are, what they like and what would make their jobs more comfortable and we let the administration know about it. It can be hard for them [workers] to talk to the supervisor or mayordomo. But if there’s a problem, they can talk to us, the Leadership Team members. And in our meetings, we can put it out there that the women are saying this, they’re worried by this or we can make a suggestion about how a process could improve.
How has your experience with EFI affected you personally?
It was something new for me to be on the EFI Leadership Team. In the beginning when they sent us to the training, we were feeling bad because we would have to talk in front of people. But after about a week of the training, little by little, you start to loosen up.
I spend a lot of time with my coworkers here, but before, you wouldn’t dare talk to them about their concerns or problems at work. The EFI trainers taught us more how to communicate with our coworkers, how to talk to them to ask, “Are you comfortable? Is there anything that you think isn’t good here?” For me, the increased confidence is the main thing.
What does Responsibly Grown Farmworker Assured® mean to you?
For me, Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured means it’s a product that’s safe, well processed and packed well. It’s safe for your table.
What message do you have for the consumers buying Homegrown Organic Farms EFI-certified fruit?
We have a good product packed by people who like their jobs and like what they’re doing. They’re happy to be here and working here.
Related Articles:
For Grower Vernon Peterson, EFI is the “Only Certification That Adds Value” to Farm
How EFI Takes a Great Farming Operation and Makes It Better
Written by: Amy Beth Dingle, Freelance Writer for EFI
