Editorial: Veggies From Mexico
Georgius Gotsis Fontes
Veggies From Mexico CEO
Farmers in Sinaloa can rely on several organizations that help them face everyday circumstances and challenges. Some are dedicated to defense, some to management, and others to the promotion of the farming sector. One of these organizations is Eleven Rivers Growers (11R), a part of CAADES. For over 10 years, 11R has been a partner to growers in the state, promoting food safety and social responsibility practices.
Twenty-five years ago in the Culiacan Valley, food safety certifications were first heard of. Farmers were just starting to learn about them and get certified; they even sought to market their products with an prize for being certified. Today, these certifications are mandatory. Over time, new certifications have emerged that validate social responsibility. Some of the most widely known trade certifications are Global G.A.P., Primus GFS, HACCP, BPM, BPA, SMETA, CEAR, and Fair Trade, among others. There is also the SRRC (Pollution Risk Reduction System) certification, awarded by SENASICA. Usually, clients determine which certificates they require from the farmer. It is worth mentioning that most share the same audit criteria.
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At 11R, we promote all these certifications and support our farmers with diagnostics, technical assistance, pre-audits, and internal audits. We also offer a program for small farmers or farmers who are exporting their products for the first time. This service is designed for those who have no food safety and/or social responsibility programs in place and wish to improve their practices.
We also offer training courses, talks, and webinars every summer. This way, hundreds of technicians, and personnel from farming industries in Sinaloa are updated on subjects such as food safety, social responsibility, and sustainability. They learn new practices and processes, as well as how to use tools and technology.
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Within 11R, there is the Veggies From Mexico (VFM) community. To access this community, the farmer must have at least one food safety certificate and one social responsibility certificate. Also, a unique dynamic from this community is that every week, a team of 11R auditors visits and reviews best practices across all production units, packaging facilities, and, where applicable, company shelters (including areas such as warehouses, daycare centers, and others involved in certifications). To remain part of the VFM community, companies must maintain an average rating above 85% on each visit. Currently, 25% of the total vegetable production in Sinaloa is produced by VFM farmers.
Without a doubt, given the circumstances we are experiencing with the US and Trump, this kind of organizations and their strategies allow us to strengthen our supply of high-quality, healthy, and sustainable produce.
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