Committed to Change
WHat is The equitable food initiative?
In 2008, under the leadership and vision of Costco Wholesale, United Farm Workers and Oxfam America, a group of experts and industry leaders in agriculture came together to explore an unconventional idea: Could diverse interests across the produce industry align in new ways to offer greater assurance of fair working conditions for farmworkers and increased food safety?
Between 2011 and 2014, incubated within Oxfam America, EFI built and piloted the program with a small group of Costco produce suppliers that were willing to test the concept. The first four operations were certified in 2014, after adapting the labor, food safety and pest management standards through workforce development training and worker verification of compliance. Having proved the concept, participating stakeholders agreed to launch EFI as an independent nonprofit social enterprise in early 2015.
At KFH, we know that our vision for a healthier, more sustainable and equitable world begins with our team. That’s why we’ve partnered with EFI as part of our mission to build more equitable, transparent, and responsible labor practices into The Future of Farming in Kentucky.
We are committed to earning EFI certification because we value the contributions of all of our team members and collaborate with them to create a healthier, inclusive and safer workplace.
Building a
Brighter Future,
Together
Incorporating our values into every part of our production from seed to harvest required an approach where we engaged our workers at every level. The EFI program helps us build transparency with each team member and support them to contribute to our collective efforts to provide the freshest, healthiest, most sustainable produce.
Responsibly grown/
Farmorker Assured
The EFI Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured® label stands for keeping you, our customers, at the forefront in everything we do. By creating a workplace where team members take pride in their job, have opportunities for growth and understand how much we value their contributions, you benefit from a commitment of safety and quality from all of our employees.
Sowing the seeds of Change
With the EFI program, our team members aren’t just checking a box for an audit, they are engaged each and every day to ensure safer food and a healthier workplace. With a commitment to training, we are building leadership, communication and problem-solving skills across the organization, ensuring that we innovate quickly and drive efficiencies.
Learn more about the Equitable Food Initiative and the other organizations we’ve partnered with to bring our vision for the Future of Farming to fruition.
