Presentation of the Eleven Rivers Program to members of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas

On January 4th, a delegation from Sinaloa made of a group of growers and representatives of the farmer’s organizations, as the Growers Association of Culiacan (AARC), the Commission for the Research and Defense of Vegetables (CIDH) and Eleven Rivers Growers visited facilities of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA) in Nogales, Arizona to present the results of the agricultural season 2017-2018.

FPAA founded in Nogales, Arizona, in 1944, the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas to help to ensure North America’s uninterrupted access to fresh, high-quality, healthy and delicious Mexican-grown fruits and vegetables, at present has grown to become one of the most influential agricultural groups in the United States. Today, the FPAA provides a powerful voice for improvement and sustainability, serving the needs of more than 100 North American companies involved in the growth, harvest, marketing, import, and distribution of Mexican produce.

In the framework of this meeting, the Eleven Rivers Program was presented to the attendees. The most relevant aspects reviewed by the Certification Scheme were made known, emphasizing the differentiating elements that it includes, such as:

1) Full Coverage, review of all the facilities of the company: field, packing and shelter.

2) Comprehensive scope, seeks to comply with the best practices of the industry, including the process quality system, food safety, traceability, social and environmental responsibility.

3) Continuous Verification, certified companies receive an annual certification audit executed by NSF International and a weekly compliance verification audit conducted by ANCE, another independent body.

Los productores certificados presentes, hicieron diversos comentarios respecto a la experiencia de sus empresas y los cambios que han detectado a través del trabajo continuo con el Esquema de Certificación de Eleven Rivers.

The certified producers present in the reunion share comments about the experience of their companies and the changes they have detected through continuous work becoming a compliance culture to all the company workers.