Latest News From Equitable Food Initiative

In this "Tip of the Iceberg" podcast episode, learn about an innovative approach to sustainability on farms from special guest Lilian Autler, Equitable Food Initiative's organizational and workforce development manager.

The Equitable Food Initiative and Sustainability Consortium-led Ethical Charter Implementation Program seeks to strengthen and recognize engagement around labor practices in fresh produce.

In this "Tip of the Iceberg" podcast episode, learn how improving worker safety and health is more than preventing slips and falls. It's also warmup exercises before a shift. It's feminine products in the restroom.

This Equitable Food Initiative episode of “Tip of the Iceberg Podcast” features Vic Clark, who has 20-plus years in the produce industry and serves on the DEI committee of the International Fresh Produce Association.

Longtime EFI leaders Kevin Boyle and Kenton Harmer will assume expanded roles to support the farmworker nonprofit's expanding reach and strategic goals.

The program is open to farmworkers not in a management or administrative role who work in farm labor or production. They must have worked in fresh produce for at least two years and embody values that “Grow the Good."

In this episode of "Tip of the Iceberg Podcast," learn from Gretchen Grani of Bonduelle Fresh Americas about how the multinational produce company became B Corp Certified. It wasn't easy, she'll tell you.

The North American sweet corn grower recently achieved EFI certification across its entire supply chain with the addition of its farms in Ontario.

The Equitable Food Initiative is using National Safety Month to underscore ways to engage the 2.6 million U.S.-based farmworkers in strategies to increase safety, drive efficiencies and boost retention and recruitment.

In an industry that is a dynamic as it is chaotic, fresh produce industry leaders and mental health advocates have shared resources for managing stressors faced every day.

The nonprofit has added a certifications director and a client manager, roles EFI Executive Director Peter O’Driscoll says are "integral to scaling our proven certification program."

The Equitable Food Initiative's leadership team committee worked with farming operations and co-workers to create the series to educate and raise awareness about the realities of being a farmworker.

Learn the major takeaways from several produce leaders in this final "Tip of the Iceberg" podcast episode of a 12-part series with Equitable Food Initiative.

There are 2.6 million men and women working on farms and ranches in the U.S., and consumers want to know about them. Well, there’s a week for that (and those other 51 weeks too).

Equitable Food Initiative is encouraging every consumer to celebrate National Farmworker Awareness Week, March 25-31, by sharing the messaging and graphics available through its communications toolkit.

Listen to the latest episode, conducted in partnership with Equitable Food Initiative.

How did this retail professional get into farm labor contracting? What's his greater mission? Read the story summary or listen to the whole story on this episode of the "Tip of the Iceberg" podcast.

In this Tip of the Iceberg Podcast episode teaming up with EFI, learn about a greenhouse brand that expanded a program because of how many supermarket shoppers called the customer hotline about it.

No one wants to be seriously worried about their physical safety — beyond the usual look-both-ways-when-you-cross caution — when they get out of their vehicle and walk to their work building. 

EFI certified 53 operations in five countries, with 19 more farms in progress. Together, those operations employ almost 60,000 workers, and EFI’s premium program generated over $3.2 million in worker bonuses in 2022.

Here’s what a couple inches on a ladder can mean to a produce business and its employees. Listen and learn.

It's all fine and good to accept that sustainability is important. But how do you make this kind of positive change amid all the economic pressures companies face today?

One onion grower has more than enough workers, and others are clamoring to join. What's their secret?

What do strawberry carts have to do with food safety, high quality product and worker retention?

The Texas-based greenhouse grower has updated its website and logo to reflect expanded product line and new brand strategy.

Listen to this podcast episode, which answers the question: What does a traffic sign have to do with employee lunches?

EFI director: “Rather than an audit-based approach to compliance, this program will focus on self-assessment, capacity-building and measurement of continuous improvement [for] responsible labor practices at scale.”

Running through March 2023, the episodes will feature voices from across fresh produce discussing topics from mental health and workplace safety to the importance of diversity and more.

The Packer and Equitable Food Initiative announce a second webinar series to further educate fresh produce industry professionals about the importance of a healthy, skilled workforce and the programs that support it.

People First is a spotlight on social responsibility in fresh produce with several weeks of focused content published and promoted across all The Packer platforms.

Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization, announced a two-year grant from the California Workforce Development Board awarded in with Measure to Improve, LLC.

As the pandemic slowly begins to ease, what were some of the lessons learned, principles that will help the industry better navigate the realities of today and the unforeseen crises of tomorrow?

To survive and thrive, produce professionals always have to ask: Where do we go from here?

In view of ever-changing disease prevention guidance, effective communication during the COVID-19 pandemic was needed more than ever before.

Engaging all elements of a produce organization proved to be the most useful way to navigate the uncharted waters of the COVID-19 pandemic.

No one saw COVID-19 coming, and the disruptions it has created in the produce industry were profound.