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For Producers
Rainforest Alliance certification helps farmers to increase efficiency, reduce costly inputs and improve farm management -- all while maintaining the natural conditions of the rainforest. Workers on certified farms benefit from a cleaner, safer, more dignified workplace where their rights are respected. Certification allows farmers, businesses, human rights advocates and environmentalists to work together to seek equitable and science-based solutions to problems and puts them in direct contact with leading-edge research, new practices and technologies.
As a result of certification, both the farms and the companies selling their products, can increase their international recognition, while improving transparency and accountability. Growers and companies selling certified goods have better access to specialty buyers, contract stability, favorable credit options, publicity, technical assistance and premium markets. The Rainforest Alliance is not directly involved in the negotiations between farmers and their product buyers, although most farmers are able to utilize their certification to leverage a price premium. Certification provides a credible means to demonstrate social responsibility to stakeholders, stockholders and shareholders. The Rainforest Alliance’s certification program allows citizens and businesses to take a proactive and market-based approach to problems, instead of waiting for government regulations. Banks and lending institutions will occasionally favor certified operations. Certain governments offer tax breaks and other incentives to promote certified, responsible production. Crop StandardsThe Rainforest Alliance certification program takes into account the fluctuating conditions surrounding commercial agriculture, global markets and changing consumer demands. The guidelines that we have developed in collaboration with our partners in the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) are designed to be adapted to local conditions and are wide and strict enough to demand changes in the management of the farms. SAN members adapt the program to fit the conditions of small farmers, producer cooperatives and multinational corporations, ensuring the same advantages for all producers regardless of size or management system. Download current standards for all crops. Certified producers apply best management practices for the protection of workers and the environment. Our monitoring system gives credibility to a producer’s commitment to sustainability. Furthermore, Rainforest Alliance certification guarantees positive change as farms must make continual improvements in order to remain in the program. The social and environmental criteria are divided into 10 principles. Producer Pack & ApplicationThe Rainforest Alliance and our partners in the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) certify production units (farms), not products or companies. A producer interested in certification may contact their local SAN member or the Costa Rican office for a producer’s pak, application, official consultation and quotation with the estimate of the audit costs. The certification process includes: 1) preliminary site visit by SAN technicians to determine the changes necessary to achieve certification (diagnostic); 2) a comprehensive audit of farm operations (certification audit); 3) based on an evaluation report, the certification committee determines whether the farm merits certification; 4) a contract that governs and monitors the use of the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval, the handling of certified products and marketplace promotion. RA Seal & Marketing Services
The Rainforest Alliance is dedicated to promoting the businesses and farms that sell certified products and to spotlighting their commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. We create and take opportunities to raise the profile of the sustainable agriculture program and the seal of approval. The demand for Rainforest Alliance Certified products is steadily increasing, and we are actively working to connect businesses committed to sourcing sustainably produced goods with responsible traders, buyers and premium and commercial markets. Products that have earned the certification seal can be found throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia and Australia. Market studies conducted by leading consumer products companies find that the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval resonates strongly with consumers. The label has received high ratings from the Consumers Union, Sierra Magazine and other watchdog organizations for its rigorous, comprehensive and independent guidelines. Comm and Marketing ServicesThe Rainforest Alliance encourages participating companies to incorporate the Rainforest Alliance Certified ecolabel and descriptive text both on and off product packaging. Growers who are rewarded with the certification seal and companies that buy and sell crops and products approved by the Rainforest Alliance have the right to use the seal, with the objective of educating and attracting consumers. The Rainforest Alliance Certified label can be used on certified products to advertise environmental and social excellence, to attract buyers, to differentiate items in the marketplace, and to add value to products. The Rainforest Alliance supplies registered companies with high quality graphics of the certification seal, stock photography for use in promotional materials and consultation regarding design and content. Businesses and enterprises have marketed Rainforest Alliance Certified items in newsletters, during local radio spots, media tours and conferences, on packaging containers, cartons and bags and at point-of-sale. Additional promotional support offered by the Rainforest Alliance includes distributor, wholesale and retailer networking, promotion on the Marketplace section of our web site, among our 20,000 plus membership base, in press releases and media outreach, and at conferences and commercial exhibitions in the United States, Europe and Asia. USAC Summary and GuidelinesFarms that meet the Rainforest Alliance’s standards for production and companies that sell products from certified operations may apply the label to better market their sustainable products. The Rainforest Alliance Certified seal communicates our guarantee that the associated product comes from farms meeting high standards for sustainability. The Rainforest Alliance is responsible for maintaining the integrity and credibility of the certification seal of approval. We require that all enterprises wishing to use the seal be registered with the Rainforest Alliance and adhere to the guidelines pertaining to its use. The label must never be altered from its original design. We require that all companies participating in the sustainable agriculture program submit examples of all on and off packaging content associated with certified ingredients or the certification program along with a use of seal approval application. The Use of Seal committee will review the application and sample design to ensure that the seal is properly placed and presented and will respond within five (5) working days of receipt of approval request. Most submissions are reviewed within 48 hours. For more information, and to receive the guidelines for the Rainforest Alliance Certified certification seal and application for use of seal approval, please contact: agriculture@ra.org.
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