Whole Foods Supports Florida Tomato Pickers
Whole Foods Market said it will work with the 4,000-plus member Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), the Florida-based farm worker organization that is promoting the Campaign for Fair Food, to help improve wages and working conditions for Florida tomato pickers.
In a signed agreement, the Austin, Texas-based chain will support the CIW's "penny per pound" approach for tomatoes from Florida, with the goal of passing this additional money on to the harvesters.
Gerardo Reyes of CIW said this is his organization's first agreement in the supermarket industry.
The organic/natural grocer is also considering the creation of a domestic purchasing program with guaranteed transparent, ethical and responsible sourcing and production, using the company's third party verified Whole Trade Guarantee (WTG) as a model.
In a signed agreement, the Austin, Texas-based chain will support the CIW's "penny per pound" approach for tomatoes from Florida, with the goal of passing this additional money on to the harvesters.
Gerardo Reyes of CIW said this is his organization's first agreement in the supermarket industry.
The organic/natural grocer is also considering the creation of a domestic purchasing program with guaranteed transparent, ethical and responsible sourcing and production, using the company's third party verified Whole Trade Guarantee (WTG) as a model.