Latest News - Equitable Food Initiative

Before the Next Heat Wave, Share Resources to Protect Workers from Sun & Heat Illness

To help employers and workers stay safe, EFI has updated its toolkit in time for July’s Extreme Heat Awareness Month. The new resources and practical guidance were developed with input from farmworkers and industry stakeholders. The updated toolkit includes:...

People and Pollinators: From the Field Up with Whole Foods Market

In a recent webinar, the Equitable Food Initiative was joined by experts Katy Green and Katie Chiapuzio to explore what strong Integrated Pest Management looks like on a daily basis at the field level. Katy Green, a produce field inspector...

Celebrating the Leaders Behind Fresh Produce

In a historic first for the Farmworker of the Year Award, two exceptional leaders have been named winners of the 2026 honor: María Bárbara Reséndiz Martínez of GoodFarms and Jesús Gutiérrez Manuel of Stemilt Growers, recognized for their extraordinary impact...

EFI Programs Featured in New York Times as a Solution to Agricultural Labor Issues

Last week, The New York Times published a feature by Lydia DePillis titled “America’s Farms Depend More Than Ever on a Troubled Visa Program.” The article shines a light on the fact that the U.S. food supply is deeply dependent...

EFI Streamlines IPM Audit to Help Growers Meet Retail Requirements

Equitable Food Initiative announced a streamlined approach to auditing for integrated pest management standards. In addition, the organization offers a pollinator toolkit and upcoming webinars to share responsible production practices....

Reimagining Corrective Action Plans (CAPs)

Traditional audits often focus on a pass or fail model, but EFI’s certification program has a different approach. An audit is treated as a “moment in time” to identify opportunities and create a roadmap for growth....

People and Pollinators: EFI Certification and Bee Better Certified

In this webinar, the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) and Bee Better Certified explored how Integrated Pest Management (IPM) serves as a bridge between worker well-being, pollinator health and sustainable farming....

People and Pollinators: EFI Certification for Multiple Retailer Requirements

Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) offers a streamlined solution for retailers requirements, as discussed in our recent webinar, “People & Pollinators: EFI Certification for Multiple Requirements.”...

EFI Champions Farmworker Recognition Nationwide

Equitable Food Initiative encourages the agricultural community to recognize and celebrate National Farmworker Awareness Week with free and impactful tools offered in its communications toolkit....

Stemilt Reports Measurable Gains Through EFI Partnership

Six years after earning its first EFI certification, Stemilt conducted a comprehensive review of its internal processes and workforce data to evaluate the long-term impact of EFI’s training and collaborative model. The results show sustained improvements across key business and...

Get to Know EFI’s New Leader: Q&A With Gonzalo Martinez de Vedia

Gonzalo Martinez joined EFI as executive director in January. We sat down with him to learn a little about the experiences that led him to EFI....

EFI and The Packer Call on the Produce Industry to Nominate Outstanding Farmworkers

Equitable Food Initiative has launched the third annual Farmworker of the Year Award, presented in partnership with fresh produce media company The Packer. The award recognizes farmworkers whose leadership, skills and dedication strengthen the fresh produce industry and agricultural communities....

EFI Welcomes Gonzalo Martinez de Vedia as New Executive Director

Equitable Food Initiative announces that its board of directors has unanimously selected Gonzalo Martinez de Vedia as the organization’s next executive director, following a rigorous, five-round recruitment process that attracted more than 200 applicants....

EFI Celebrates a Decade of Progress With Landmark Achievements in 2025

Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers and retailers, marked a year of significant progress in 2025, advancing responsible labor practices, strengthening industry collaboration and driving meaningful worker engagement throughout the fresh produce...

Rafael’s Nomination for Farmworker of the Year 2026

To celebrate the incredible past 2025 winner, Rafael Teréran Melchor, one more time and provide inspiration for the Farmworker of the Year Award 2026 (FWOY) nominations, the complete text submitted by the nominator, Adrian Pantaleon Sandoval, is being shared....

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