Rouge River Farms celebrated its second annual EFI Fair during the last week of September. This four-day celebration was dedicated to promoting and reviewing EFI standards among the EFI Leadership Teams and workers. Each day focused on a different set of standards, covering social responsibility, pest management (IPM), food safety, and processing & packing.
I spoke to Estefani Oceja, a member of Rouge River Verona, Virginia’s Food Safety Team as well as the EFI Leadership Team. Estefani has been the visionary behind the EFI Fair, with support from her team, as well as compliance manager Maricela Martinez.
In the lead-up to the EFI Fair, Estefani assigned specific topics to various Leadership Team Members. Each member dedicated time to practicing and developing their respective subjects and created teaching materials to support their presentations. The entire team was highly engaged and actively contributed to ensure the Fair’s success. In addition, the event was visually appealing and festive, the room was decorated, and they served delicious cake bearing the Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured label. The event created an enticing and celebratory atmosphere, fostering an environment conducive to learning and collaboration.
The conversation with Estefani underscored the importance of worker security and protection, effective communication and comprehensive training programs to improve the quality of life for farm workers. Estefani emphasized how the EFI Fair served as a unique opportunity for colleagues to engage with EFI standards in a fun and interactive way.
The enthusiastic response has set the stage for an exciting prospect: the return of the EFI Fair next year, promising more opportunities for learning, collaboration , and celebration.
Written by Alexandra Martinez, Marketing & Sales Associate for EFI.
