Azzule Offers SFG Sustainability Standard
Through the collaborative efforts of Azzule and the Sustainable Food Group (SFG), the SFG Sustainability Standard™ is available for producers, handlers, and manufacturers of agricultural products interested in communicating sustainability performance to their buyers. The certification standard uses multiple internationally-recognized environmental, economic, and social welfare measures and may be added as an addendum to food safety audits, saving auditees time and money, or as a stand-alone assessment.
The science-based Standard covers 16 categories recognizing best practices, performance metrics, and continuous improvement. Producers participating in other sustainability programs, including the National Organic Program, Sysco’s Sustainable/Integrated Pest Management Initiative, the Potato Sustainability Initiative, and LEAF Marque, can have their efforts recognized within this new certification. The Standard also recognizes participant use of consensus tools including Cool Farm Tool for calculating greenhouse gas emissions, select Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops metrics, and the
Pesticide Risk Tool™.
Interested producers, handlers, and manufacturers of agricultural products are invited to ask their certification body if this new option can be made available through them. For more information, contact Ariel Larson at the Sustainable Food Group in Madison, WI, at 608-232-1410 or
alarson@ipminstitute.org. You may also contact Courtney Cox and Eric Peterson at Azzule in Santa Maria, CA, at 805-862-4219 or courtney.cox@azzule.com and eric.peterson@azzule.com. Interested certification bodies and food buyers may contact any of the above for participation details.
