Greener Fields Together, a groundbreaking, industry-wide sustainability and local produce initiative launched by America’s leading produce distributor, PRO*ACT, has partnered with NSF International to provide food safety and good agricultural practices education and verification to local farms. Bringing NSF International, a global food safety leader, onto the Greener Fields Together team is an important step toward achieving one of the initiative’s primary goals: to ensure an abundant supply of safer, locally grown produce for customers nationwide.
To participate as Greener Fields Together partners, all local farms must agree to annual food-safety audits such as those offered by NSF International (or, in some cases, to audits by another approved third-party certifier they may already be using) and complete an educational program designed to enhance the safety of their products. PRO*ACT’s national network of distributors, who bring the Greener Fields Together initiative to market, are providing financial support to help local farmers in their markets to meet these requirements.
“Demand for local produce continues to grow, as does demand for more scientific, verifiable food-safety practices—including at the local farm level. Greener Fields Together is designed to deliver both supply and safety with confidence,” says Michael Jantschke, Director of Food Safety for PRO*ACT. “Having independent NSF International training and verification is a significant benefit both to the local farmers and to those who ultimately purchase and consume their products through the Greener Fields Together supply chain.”
David Richardson, Managing Director NSF Agriculture says, “Combining NSF’s food safety training and certification expertise with PRO*ACT’s expertise in fresh produce is designed to enhanced sustainability and safer produce, whether it’s grown by a national producer or by a regional or small local farmer.” NSF Agriculture helps food companies source locally-grown food by providing small producers with a cost-effective way to improve compliance with national and global food safety standards.
