AJP developed the following summaries to introduce our standards to farmworkers, farm operators, and the wider public. We distributed many copies of these summaries through workshops, tabling, and consultations.
What do Food Justice Certification standards offer to farm workers?#
Food Justice Certification standards outline fair working conditions for farm workers, as well as fair practices for businesses who buy from farms. These standards are written and maintained by farm workers, community-scale farmers, and other stakeholders, and include:
Farm employers must be in full compliance with federal, state, and local laws covering employees’ working conditions, minimum wages and compensation, leave, housing, and so on.
Freedom of association and collective bargaining: workers can raise concerns, negotiate terms of their employment, and lodge complaints without reprisal. Employers agree to negotiate in good faith with any individual worker, group of workers, or democratically elected representatives of workers, including unions. Workers can bring a representative of their choice into any meeting with management.
Workers earn living wages calculated for local cost of living, providing for life’s necessities and a dignified livelihood. If a farm can’t afford living wages yet, they must share their accounting with workers and make a plan to achieve living wages.
Comprehensive benefits: workers compensation, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, social security, paid sick leave, and parental leave (unpaid).
Termination only for just cause, and an established disciplinary process that allows workers the chance to know and respond to the employer’s expectations.
Employees have full access to their personnel files, including all disciplinary records and evaluations. Employees receive evaluations at least once a year.
Written policies for conflict resolution and grievances with no retaliation for whistleblowing, making a complaint, or raising concerns.
The work week for farm labor is 48 hours or less, and overtime beyond 48 hours is voluntary. At least one day off per week. Work on the 7th day is voluntary.
Seniority: Right to return to the same farm for work next season or to take an unpaid leave of absence if there is a family emergency.
Training in workplace health and safety and full disclosure of all hazardous materials. Farms may not use toxic chemicals and must use materials approved for use on organic farms. Regular meetings & dialogue to address and resolve health and safety issues.
No full time employment for minors under 16.
Written learning contracts for interns/apprentices. They enjoy the same rights as others, though they may be paid less than living wage as long as significant instruction is provided.
Non-profit organizations have additional requirements because of their governance structure:
Staff have clear channels for participation in board decision-making.
Defined decision-making policy, and staff & board understand their rights and obligations relative to each other.
Staff members have detailed job descriptions, and tasks are assigned fairly and equitably.
Board members selected through a transparent and democratic process.
Advance notice to staff & board when board meetings are scheduled, and meeting agendas and minutes shared with all board and staff members.
Board members are qualified to make decisions and have direct experience relevant to the mission.
Conflict resolution policy addresses disputes within board and between board members & staff.
And more…
This list is not complete and is intended only as a brief summary. For details and the complete list of standards, see the full AJP standards sections 3 & 7.
What do Food Justice Certification standards offer to farm operators?#
Farmers cannot provide fair working conditions to workers–nor can they enjoy fair working conditions themselves–unless they get a fair deal in the marketplace. AJP standards outline both fair working conditions for farm workers and fair practices for businesses who buy from farms. These standards are the basis for AJP’s Food Justice Certification program and serve as a practical vision for a food system that works for everyone–workers, farm operators, and communities. The standards are written and maintained by farm workers, community-scale farmers, and other stakeholders.
By law farmers have the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining: the freedom to form groups, associations, or cooperatives with other farmers, and the right to democratically choose a group’s representative to negotiate with a buyer, free from any interference from the buyer.
Fair trading relationships between producers and buyers#
Food Justice Certification standards require buyers to offer basic transparency and good faith commitments in their agreements with producers:
Buyers must comply with all laws regarding farmers’ freedom of association and rights to collective bargaining.
Farmers have the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, free from retaliation by buyers. Farmers may choose a representative to negotiate on their behalf or to be present during any meeting related to agreements or contracts.
Farmers must receive a fair price for their products, meaning that the price covers at least the cost of production, plus a fair margin for profit and investment. Note that the cost of production must include fair wages and basic benefits for themselves and their workers.
If a buyer is unable to pay a price that covers, they must document their inability to do so by sharing their financial records with the farmer, and the buyer and farmer must negotiate a price through good faith negotiations.
Purchasing agreements must be negotiated in good faith with farmers, and “take it or leave it” prices are not allowed. Binding arbitration clauses are not allowed. Buyers and farmers should work in good faith to establish long-term and stable relationships which provide mutual respect for the needs and rights of both parties.
Farmers and buyers must have access to a defined, fair conflict resolution process without reprisal.
Written contracts or informal agreements should include terms for price setting, quality, quantity, shipping schedule, equity-sharing, other benefits, standards, conflict resolution, and any pre-finance/credit arrangements.
Farmers should be first in line to recover all payments due from the buyer should the buyer file for bankruptcy.
No farmer/buyer agreements or contracts may be terminated without just cause.
If the farmer feels a price is not fair, the buyer must be transparent about their costs and pricing formulas and engage in good faith negotiations.
Farmers must have full access to their contract files. Farmers are always allowed to discuss their contracts with others, including other farmers.
If a buyer requires a farmer to make capital investments in order to fulfill a contract and the buyer subsequently terminates the contract, the farmer can collect damages from the buyer related to that required investment.
Additional benefits of Food Justice Certification#
Price premiums. Demonstrate your values to your customers and earn a premium in the market. AJP can help you communicate about FJC with your market and CSA customers and invite them to pay the true cost of producing food. Wholesale buyers who are certified must pay farmers prices that cover the full cost of production, including fair compensation and investments in the future of the farm, or else share their financial situation and negotiate an alternate price with the farmer.
Attracting and retaining employees. Farm businesses benefit from having a team that is committed to the farm’s long-term success. One way to help develop that team is to invest in workers and build a fair farm workplace. Workers want a workplace that values their contributions and treats them well, and they’re much more likely to stick with a business and work towards its success if they are treated fairly.
If we want to build a movement strong enough to win a truly sustainable food system, we have to build solidarity and connect justice for farmworkers with justice for farmers. In a globalized food system dominated by huge corporations, it is difficult to make finances work on a family- or community-scale farm. The number of farms in the US has shrunken by over 4 million over the past generation. When we talk about food justice, we are not just talking about something farmers need to do for others - for exploited farm workers or food service workers. Farmers need food justice, too.
This list is not complete and is intended only as a brief summary. For details and a complete list of standards, see the full AJP standards sections 1 & 2.