Be the source

Greenhouse Management: What changes are happening to retailers’ sourcing requirements that growers should be watching?

Roberta Anderson: Responsible sourcing is gaining momentum as consumers in North America seek more sustainably produced products, investors and NGOs exert pressure for greater accountability, and retailers seek to credibly align their brands with responsible supply chains.  

Growers of flowers and ornamental plants can gain insights by observing the fresh produce industry’s experience with retailers’ sourcing requirements. Over the past two decades, retailers in the U.S. and Canada have progressively increased the food safety requirements of fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers, relying upon third-party certifications to provide them with assurance about good practices through the supply chain — all the way back to the farm. 

GM: Why are retailers introducing pollinator health policies, and how does this impact sourcing requirements? 

RA: Pollination is important for maintaining the populations of many plants and is critical in agricultural systems. An alarming decline in pollinator populations, and its potential impact on agriculture and food security, has put a spotlight on pollinator health as an environmental sustainability priority.  

Retailers are addressing this threat to their supply chains by rolling out sourcing requirements that favor suppliers who use agricultural practices that reduce pollinator exposure to pesticides and support pollinator habitats.   

GM: How can growers demonstrate their compliance with retailers’ new sourcing requirements? 

RA: Retailers reference a list of third-party certifications that may be achieved by growers to demonstrate that robust IPM practices are in place to protect pollinator health. The GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard, already implemented by growers in over 50 countries worldwide, has been widely recognized by retailers as a qualifying third-party certification.  

GM: What are the benefits of an audit process and certification? 

RA: The benefits of certification can extend far beyond simply meeting a buyer’s requirement and boosting market access. The standard’s checklist itself can provide a blueprint for good production practices. The self-assessment stage of the process provides a tool to create a baseline and monitor improvement over time.  

Many growers discover a wide range of operational efficiencies by engaging in a certification program. The achievement of certification also serves as a point of pride for employees and a boost to the grower’s reputation in the market. As with many things, you get out of it what you put into it.