Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Food Alliance?
  
• How does Food Alliance accomplish its mission?
  
• How did Food Alliance get its start?
  
• What is 'sustainable agriculture'?
• How do farmers qualify for Food Alliance certification?
  
• How is Food Alliance Certified different from organic certified?
  
• How is Food Alliance funded?
• How can I get more information?

What is Food Alliance?

Food Alliance is a nonprofit organization that creates market incentives for sustainable agricultural practices, and educates business leaders and other food system stakeholders on the benefits of sustainable agriculture. Started as a project of Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the Washington State Department of Agriculture in 1993, Food Alliance was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1997. Food Alliance enjoys support from leaders in both organic and conventional agriculture, from retail and wholesale food businesses, government agencies, and organizations representing farm labor, animal welfare, and the environment. Food Alliance operates a voluntary certification program based on standards that define sustainable agricultural practices. Farms, ranches and food processors that meet Food Alliance’s standards, as determined by a third-party site inspection, use Food Alliance certification to support credible claims for social and environmental responsibility, differentiate their products and strengthen their brands. To earn certification, farms and ranches must meet the following standards:

• Provide safe and fair working conditions
  
• Ensure healthy and humane care for livestock
  
• No hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics
  
• No genetically modified crops or livestock
  
• Reduce pesticide use and toxicity
  
• Conserve soil and water resources
  
• Protect wildlife habitat
  
• Plan for continuous improvement

Food processors and manufacturers seeking Food Alliance certification must meet the following standards:

• Use Food Alliance certified ingredients
• Ensure quality control & food safety
  
• Avoid artificial flavors, colors & preservatives
  
• Provide safe & fair working conditions
  
• Reduce use of toxic and hazardous materials
  
• Conserve energy and water
  
• Manage solid waste responsibly
  
• Plan for continuous improvement
  

Food Alliance launched its certification program in 1998 in Portland, Oregon with a single apple grower selling in three area grocery stores. Today, there are nearly 250 Food Alliance certified farms and ranches in 15 U.S. states one Canadian province. These producers manage over 4.1 million acres of range and farm land, raising beef, lamb, pork, dairy products, mushrooms, dried beans and lentils, wheat, and almost 200 varieties of fruits and vegetables. An increasing number of Food Alliance certified processed products are also available, including bread, oil, and frozen and canned fruits and vegetables.To increase demand for certified products and to support the success of certified farms, ranches and food processors, Food Alliance works actively to forge relationships with food businesses. These “partners in change” include distributors, grocery stores and food co-ops, restaurants, and food service providers – and involve local and regional businesses, as well as national companies such as Bon Appétit, Aramark, Sodexho, and Sysco Corporation. With an estimated $100 million in farm gate value of Food Alliance certified products sold in 2005, certified farmers and ranchers report positive customer feedback, increased customer loyalty, new markets, sales increases, and access to contracts and price premiums. Market-side partners report strong sales of Food Alliance products, with over half reporting increases in sales because of their participation in the program.

How does Food Alliance accomplish its mission?

Food Alliance's program consists of two key elements:

Certification: Food Alliance is a third party certifier of sustainable agricultural practices and products. Before certification is granted, farms and ranches must meet a strict set of environmental and social criteria. The distinctiveness of Food Alliance's certification program lies in its breadth and depth. Because Food Alliance's philosophy is that sustainable agriculture can only truly be achieved when an interdependent set of actions and practices are working in concert with one another, the certification program addresses a wide range of environmental, economic and social issues. These are: reduction or elimination of pesticides, soil and water conservation, wildlife habitat conservation, safe and fair working conditions, and humane treatment of animals.

Market Development: Food Alliance operates an extensive market development program - connecting farmers and ranchers with consumers across the country. Independent grocery chains, national food service companies, leading wholesalers, food cooperatives, specialty stores - Food Alliance has established partnerships in all of these venues. Fundamentally, these partnerships are a formalized statement of intent in which Food Alliance commits to providing a range of market support services, public relations efforts, marketing strategies and point of sale materials while partners commit to sourcing and promoting Food Alliance certified products.

How did Food Alliance get its start?

Food Alliance got its start in 1994 with a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. At the time, Food Alliance was a collaborative effort of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Washington State University, and Oregon State University. In 1997, Food Alliance became an independent non-profit organization and moved its offices from Olympia, Washington to Portland, Oregon.

What is 'sustainable agriculture'?

Sustainable agriculture is a system that emphasizes protecting and enhancing natural resources, using alternatives to pesticides, and caring for the health and well being of farm workers and rural communities. Producers who practice sustainable agriculture:

• use a range of natural pest controls, such as beneficial insects, careful weather monitoring and scouting;
• use the least toxic pesticides when natural methods don't work;
• improve soil by natural methods, such as crop rotation and cover crops;
• protect clean drinking water and fish habitat by providing buffer zones in riparian areas;
• provide wildlife habitat and encouraging residency by growing some year round vegetative cover for shelter and food;
• take into consideration quality of life issues for their farm workers and their communities when making daily farm management decisions; and,
• continually improve their farming practices to make them more environmentally sound, socially just and economically viable.

How do farmers qualify for Food Alliance certification?

They meet strict environmental and human resource criteria. Farmers seeking to market their products as Food Alliance certified submit a detailed written application.

The application asks farmers to supply information about their operation and farming experiences while describing farming goals and philosophies. In addition, farmers are asked to complete pest, weed, and disease charts and supply Food Alliance with a map of their operation. A site inspection is then conducted to evaluate the farm in four different areas:

• Provide safe and fair working conditions,
• Provide healthy and humane treatment of animals,
• Raise animals without added hormones and antibiotics,
• Raise crops without genetically modified organisms,
• Reduce pesticides usage and toxicity,
• Conserve soil and water resources,
• Preserve and protect wildlife habitat,
• Commit to continuous improvement of these practices.

In addition to meeting strict eligibility requirements in four sectors, Food Alliance certified farmers are also required to submit farm improvement plans. Food Alliance recognizes that making the transition to sustainable agricultural practices is a process. For many farmers, this process requires a series of small, realistic steps. The flexibility of Food Alliance's program and the use of farm improvement plans, make those steps viable options for farmers.

How is Food Alliance Certified different from organic certified?

When evaluating the environmental and social performance of farms and ranches, Food Alliance certification uses a different, much broader set of criteria than organic. Indeed, Food Alliance operates the most comprehensive third-party certification program in North America for sustainably produced food. Food Alliance certified distinguishes foods produced by farmers and ranchers who:

• Provide safe and fair working conditions,
• Provide healthy and humane treatment of animals,
• Raise animals without added hormones and antibiotics,
• Raise crops without genetically modified organisms,
• Reduce pesticides usage and toxicity,
• Conserve soil and water resources,
• Preserve and protect wildlife habitat,
• Commit to continuous improvement of these practices.

To date, USDA's organic certification criteria do not include standards for safe and fair working conditions or wildlife habitat conservation.

With regard to pesticides, Food Alliance's definition of sustainable agriculture does not prohibit outright the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, but emphasizes natural solutions to pest and disease problems and turns to pesticides only when problems cannot be addressed in this way.

Certified organic and Food Alliance certified both represent great choices consumers can make in support of environmentally friendly farming practices.

How is Food Alliance funded?

Food Alliance is a non-profit organization. We receive our funding from grants, private donations, membership dues, and fees for service. Food Alliance receives the majority of its funding from three primary sources.

How can I get more information?

Just email or give us a call. You can reach us at:

1829 NE Alberta Suite 5
Portland, Or 97211
503.493.1066 Tel
503.493.1069 Fax
info at foodalliance.org