PRESS RELEASE
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Ernie Farley of Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce Named Board Chair
Equitable Food Initiative held elections to select a new chair and vice-chair at its fall board meeting held in Washington on October 2-3, 2018. EFI announces that Ernie Farley of Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce was elected as the new board chair, and Carol Schrader, a technology consultant and former software executive, was elected vice-chair of the EFI board of directors.
Farley is a graduate of University of California, Davis, where he earned a degree in plant science. He has held many roles in the produce industry, building his career in tomatoes, kiwis and strawberries in both the United States and Mexico, and working in various positions including production, sales and management. Today Farley is a partner in Andrew & Williamson and has been with the business for 15 years. No stranger to the importance of collaboration, he has served on several organizational boards, including serving as chairman of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. Farley has served on the EFI board since its inception.
“The produce industry is at a critical time that requires us all to reflect on how we can change and adapt to new ways of thinking and doing business,” remarked Farley. “Issues around labor, food safety and consumer transparency require us all to evaluate new tools that can help us meet the ever-increasing challenges, and I’ve personally seen how EFI can play a direct role in providing solutions.” Farley continued, “I also know that the kind of culture change that EFI requires does not come without discomfort or detractors, but I believe the industry needs to better understand how we can adopt programs like workforce development that will strengthen our industry in the long term.”
Newly elected Vice-Chair Carol Schrader joined the board in 2017 and serves as one of three independent members of EFI’s multi-stakeholder governing body. Residing in San Francisco, Schrader holds a Bachelor of Arts in management science from Clarke University and has held a variety of management roles with start-up technology companies where she has specialized in raising capital, strategic planning, marketing and executive management. She has brought valuable insight to the EFI board, which depends on representation from across the produce supply chain, including farmworker organizations, growers, retailers, consumer advocates and independent business executives.
Peter O’Driscoll, executive director for EFI, commented, “EFI is a young organization, and a robust and diverse board of directors is critical to our long-term success. Visionary leaders like Ernie and Carol provide valuable strategic guidance that helps EFI focus on our overall mission to transform agriculture through workforce development.”
Incorporated in January 2015 as a nonprofit organization, EFI’s bylaws allow for two consecutive two-year terms of leadership. Erik Nicholson of United Farm Workers and Maisie Ganzler of Bon Appétit Management Company have now completed their respective terms as chair and vice-chair and will remain as board members. The board thanked them for their vital leadership and vision during EFI’s start-up phase.
The mission of EFI is to bring together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to transform agriculture and improve the lives of farmworkers through the process of workforce development. Its unparalleled approach sets more than 300 rigorous standards for labor practices, food safety and pest management while engaging workers at all levels on the farm to produce fruits and vegetables that proudly display the Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured™ label.
To date, EFI has certified 28 farming operations of 11 grower-shipper companies, covering 38 produce commodities. Its training programs are impacting more than 30,000 farmworkers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Guatemala.
About EFI
Equitable Food Initiative is a nonprofit certification and skill-building organization that seeks to increase transparency in the food supply chain and improve the lives of farmworkers through a team-based approach to training and continuous improvement practices. EFI brings together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to solve the most pressing issues facing the fresh produce industry. Its unparalleled approach 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 www.equitablefood.org.
