Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) Certification Program

UL is an official certification body for the Equitable Food Initiative, offering auditing and certification services to growers seeking added assurance in their labor, food safety and pest management practices. Definition The Equitable Food Initiative is a unique partnership among industry, farmworker and consumer organizations. EFI has collaboratively developed training processes, standards, and a certification program aimed to improve the lives of farmworkers while producing safer, more responsibly grown food. EFI has engaged UL’s industry expertise to validate grower responsible business practices via conformance to the Equitable Food Initiative Standards for: Labor: indicators that a safe, dignified and professional workplace, promoting management and farmworker collaboration, is provided. Food Safety: indicators emphasize worker engagement in creating a culture on the farm that reduces the risk of contamination, practices for water use, soil amendments, animal presence, land use, harvest and post-harvest activities. Pest Management: indicators promote an Integrated Pest Management approach, minimizing the impact of pesticide use on workers and the environment by emphasizing biological and cultural tools for pest management over the use of highly hazardous pesticides. Benefits EFI is the only certification and labeling program for large-scale fresh produce operations that integrates labor practices, food safety, and pest management standards. Benefits of the EFI Certification Program include: Training and systems that motivate and actively engage workers in continuous improvement Stronger relationships between growers, their workers, and their customers Multiple layers of assurance that minimize risk in the supply chain and meet customer demand for safer food and social accountability UL’s expertise in auditing for food safety and social responsibility helps clients achieve business objectives while striving for continuous improvement to meet customer demand for safer, more responsibly grown produce. Upon successful completion of the EFI Certification Program, the grower is issued a UL Mark and a license agreement to use the EFI “Responsibly Grown. Farmworker Assured. TM” Trustmark. The UL Certification Mark will be placed on the UL Certificate of Conformance, while the EFI Trustmark may be used on product packaging, in an effort to raise awareness of the farm’s commitment to promoting the mission and values of the Equitable Food Initiative.