The Growcom Fair Farms Initiative has received a major boost, with Coles confirming it will join Woolworths and Aldi in accepting Fair Farms Certification as a means for grower compliance. Meanwhile, Fair Farms has announced a new National Project Manager – Marsha Aralar, who joined the team in August.

The Australian horticulture sector continues to back the industry-developed Fair Farms Training and Certification Program, demonstrating industry’s commitment to stamping out workplace non-compliance and worker exploitation.

Fair Farms is built on the idea that compliant and ethical employers should be recognised and rewarded for their efforts by their customers and consumers, who may choose to buy Australian produce from ethically verified sources.

In a positive outcome for the program, Coles recently confirmed it would now accept Fair Farms Certification as a way by which fresh produce suppliers can demonstrate compliance with the Coles Ethical Sourcing Policy.

This announcement by Coles means Fair Farms Certification is now accepted by all three major retailers in Australia: Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi.

Coles General Manager Fresh Produce Craig Taylor said the supermarket was proud to give the Fair Farms training and certification program the tick of approval.

“Around 95 per cent of the fresh produce we sell comes from Australian farms, and it’s important to Coles and to our customers that the workers in our supply chain are treated fairly,” Mr Taylor said.

“By adopting this additional industry-based solution that can be used by all suppliers regardless of who buys their produce, Coles is making it easier for Aussie farmers to meet ethical workplace standards.”

New National Program Manager announced

In other news, Fair Farms has announced the appointment of Marsha Aralar as its new National Program Manager.

Ms Aralar brings a wealth of experience to her role as National Program Manager, having worked in a variety of food safety and compliance roles across Australia and the Middle East.

“In my previous role I was lucky enough to get onto farms and get my boots dirty. I really enjoy engaging with growers, getting to understand their business and concerns, and helping them meet market and regulatory requirements,” Ms Aralar said.

Fair Farms National Project Manager Marsha Aralar.

Eager to strengthen relationships across horticultural and grower communities, Ms Aralar’s international qualifications in quality assurance and public health, coupled with an energetic personality, mark an exciting new period for Fair Farms.

“Our goal from here is to build a critical mass of Fair Farms certified businesses. This will enable ethical buyers and sellers to work towards improving the conditions for farm workers, stamping out exploitation,” Ms Aralar said.

“It is an exciting time to join the team at Growcom. I am looking forward to further enhancing Fair Farms and driving the continued success of the program and showcasing our world-class growers.”

Find out more

Please visit the Fair Farms website by clicking here.

Visit fairwork.gov.au and growcom.com.au for more information regarding your obligations as an employer.

Fair Farms is developed and delivered by Growcom with support from the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and AUSVEG.

This article features in the spring 2020 edition of Vegetables Australia. Click here to read the full publication.