Our Cooperative Standards

FOOD SAFETY

Agri-Cultura emphasizes food safety as well as its strong commitment to product quality. Our Food Safety Program includes: 

• Regular on-farm food safety inspections covering water use, sanitization of harvest tools and equipment, produce washing procedures, organic and sustainable growing practices, farmer training processes

• Followup meetings with farmers throughout the season to provide technical assistance and monitoring 

• All produce sold through the network is processed at the Mixing Bowl, an FDA registered commercial kitchen, at the South Valley Economic Development Center. ACN’s operations at the Mixing Bowl are USDA Harmonized GAP Plus+ certified for food safety, the highest level of food safety certification. Produce is packaged to customer specifications and delivered. Most produce was still growing within two days of delivery to the customer.

• 3 million dollar liability insurance covering produce that is sold through the Agri-Cultura Network

GROWING PRACTICES

All of the growers, both member and ally farms, are either certified organic or grow in ways that are sustainable and follow organic practices. Farm practices include: 

• Integrated Pest Management 

• No spray or use of only organic-approved sprays

• Methods of soil building through cover cropping, composting, and use of organic amendments 

• Strict adherence to food safety principles

• Provide a living wage and safe working environment for all staff

• Community and environmental leadership through growing operation