Greener Fields Together Partners With NSF International
Olympia, WA -
By Jordan Okumura
01.21.13
Greener Fields Together, Pro*Act's groundbreaking, industry-wide sustainability and local produce initiative, is partnering with NSF International to provide food safety and good agricultural practices education and verification for local farms, according to a press release.
With NSF now on board the Greener Fields Together team, the initiative is one step closer toward achieving one of the initiative’s primary goals: to ensure an abundant supply of safe, locally grown produce for customers nationwide. NSF is a leading independent, not-for-profit global food safety leader,
Local farms must agree to annual food-safety audits by NSF (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 in order to participate as Greener Fields Together partners. PRO*ACT’s national network of distributors are providing financial support to help local farmers in their markets meet the 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 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.”
Greta Houlahan, Communications Director for NSF International, comments, “Combining NSF’s food safety and certification expertise with PRO*ACT’s expertise in produce will result in enhanced sustainability initiatives and safer produce, whether it’s grown by a national producer or by a regional or small local farmer.”
