New associate Community Member: Veggies From Mexico

Veggies From Mexico, a new GLOBALG.A.P. Community Member, is a cooperative of 13 fruit and vegetable producers/exporters in the state of Sinaloa, in Mexico. Every year, the group exports over 26 million boxes of produce – including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, and green beans – to North American retailers.

“Our vision,” said Georgius Gotsis, CEO of Veggies From Mexico, “is that the vegetables produced by the members of our community will be the primary and most viable option for purchasers and retailers in North America, thanks to their quality, flavor, safety, sustainability, and social responsibility.”

Community Membership advances the cooperative’s vision

“We want to learn practices that are being followed in other cities, states, and countries, and share ours too,” said Gotsis when asked what prompted Veggies From Mexico to seek GLOBALG.A.P. Community Membership. “Only then will we be able to continue to guarantee fresh, healthy, and safe foods.”

Community Membership will give Veggies From Mexico access to vital industry expertise and support and will help build consumer trust in the cooperative’s brands. Community Membership will also open the way for Veggies From Mexico to contribute to our national technical working groups and other stakeholder consultation processes.

GLOBALG.A.P. compliance included in cooperative membership criteria

“One characteristic that makes the Veggies From Mexico community unique,” said Gotsis, “is that its members are audited weekly by a group of experts who are independent from the companies, ensuring that they are always in compliance with the strictest safety and social responsibility criteria.” To maintain membership in the Veggies From Mexico cooperative, member farms must comply with strict food safety and social responsibility criteria, including the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard.

Food safety, environmental protection, and healthy labor conditions are important to North American consumers of foreign produce. Veggies From Mexico’s strict commitment to these criteria aligns well with GLOBALG.A.P.’s vision of recognizing farms that produce plentiful safe food while safeguarding the environment and the welfare of farming communities.

About GLOBALG.A.P. Community Membership

GLOBALG.A.P. relies on an extensive network of members to achieve its goals and spread its mission. We advance the principles of responsible farming practices and promote change throughout the world through collaboration, exchange, and dialogue.

Joining the GLOBALG.A.P. Community as a producer/supplier, retailer/food service company, or associate member is an effective way to contribute to the global conversation on responsible farming.

See the GLOBALG.A.P. Community Membership webpage for more information on how to get involved