Taste the Fairness in North Central Florida’s Watermelons (GAINESVILLE, Fla. – June 9, 2015) – It is as hot as it gets in north central Florida. While most farmers are done with their season, their fields planted with cover crops, and most farmworkers have gone north for the summer farm season, Jordan Brown is picking watermelon alongside his workers. It is no easy task getting them to the cooler and ready for grocery store shelves and CSA boxes, each watermelon ranging from 15 to 17 pounds. But at the end of the picking row, refreshing watermelon awaits and everyone can enjoy the fruits of their labor together – farmer and farmworker side-by-side. What is more meaningful to Farmer Brown is knowing that everyone working in the field is treated with respect and paid a living wage. Something that is rare in most American fields where deplorable working conditions continue and family farmers, trying to uphold principles of stewardship for land and people, are experiencing the increasing consolidation of power and market share in the hands of a few corporate food businesses. To Brown the purpose of farming sustainably was not only to ensure that environmental stewardship is met, but that human decency is upheld to the highest degree. Jordan Brown has been farming for 8 years on his 25-acre farmland in Bell. His farm, The Family Garden, has staked their commitment to social justice by meeting the gold standards for domestic fair trade through Food Justice Certification. Jordan’s produce is 100% Organic and 100% Food Justice Certified through third party verification programs. When purchasing FJC products you can support a healthy food system that includes: • • • • • • • • • Rigorous standards for respectful treatment of farm employees Fair pricing for farmers Fair and equitable contracts for farmers and buyers Clear conflict resolution policies for all throughout the food chain A ban on full-time child labor together with full protection for children on farms Living wages for employees Safe working conditions Commitment to continual improvement Environmental stewardship through organic certification Visit Ward’s Supermarket or Citizens Co-op in Gainesville to buy The Family Garden watermelons this season! The Family Garden also sells to Global Organics who distribute fresh produce to the greater southeast region, Fresh 24 Market in Orlando, Homegrown Organics serving Gainesville and Ocala areas, and Local Fare Farm Bag North serving the greater Jacksonville area. You can also support fairness in the food system by visiting your local restaurants and requesting dishes made with Food Justice Certified ingredients! In Gainesville, that includes: The Top and Civilization restaurants. The Agricultural Justice Project aims to bridge the gap between environmental stewardship of the land to include stewardship of the people who work the land and bring the food to our tables. Food Justice Certified is unique as it is the only third party verification program to cover U.S. farmworkers and farmers, as well as other food system workers working in distribution centers, grocers, manufacturing – all links of the supply chain from farm to table. Standards and the verification process for the Food Justice Certified label were stakeholder developed and included farmers and farmworker representatives in a consensus-style governance structure. It is also uniquely a collaborative program that recognizes that improving conditions for farmworkers in the U.S. needs to include improving the terms farmers receive in selling goods. Food Justice Certification is the first social justice labeling program to launch in the US and Canada. Farms and food businesses have already been certified in Canada, California, New York and Florida. Quality Certification Services (QCS) has completed these certifications, alongside farmworker organizations such as Lideres Campesinas, Centro Campesino, Farmworkers Association of Florida, Agricultural Workers Alliance and CATA/The Farmworker Support Committee. This program is designed for all agricultural production systems, fiber, and cosmetics, as well as food. Ask your grocer if they sell Food Justice Certified products or tell your farmer and grocer you support them seeking AJP certification!