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David LaMotte on the Fair Food Program

May 11, 2015 by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

The Council’s Farmworker Ministry Committee has long been supportive of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and its efforts on behalf of those who work in the fields. The Committee has hosted CIW events locally and advocated for the Coalition’s campaigns.

David LaMotte, the Council’s consultant for peace, recently had a guest column published in the Asheville Citizen-Times in which he calls attention to the CIW’s Fair Food Program as it pertains to Publix. It reads in part:

The Fair Food Program is a historic partnership among farm workers, tomato growers, and 13 leading food corporations. These companies require more humane labor standards from their Florida tomato suppliers and pay one penny per pound to improve workers’ pay, agreeing to buy only from tomato growers that are part of the program.

This is not a fringe project of coercion. The vast majority of Florida tomato growers are now a part of the Fair Food Program, and participating corporations include Walmart, McDonald’s, and Whole Foods. The program was heralded in the Washington Post as “one of the great human rights success stories of our day,” and was called “the best workplace monitoring program in the US” in the New York Times.

During the approaching summer’s long days of planting and of harvest, we must remember those whose back-breaking labor helps put food on our tables. May our prayers and actions reflect our respect for their work and their humanity.

Filed Under: Blog, Homepage Featured Tagged With: Economic Justice, Farmworkers, Food, Human Rights, Living Wage

About Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Aleta Payne first joined the Council staff in the spring of 2001 as the Communications Associate. She continues to oversee that work along with development, represents the Council in several partnership efforts, and serves in other administrative roles, as well. Aleta is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in government and foreign affairs and spent much of her early career as a journalist. She has three young adult sons who continue to come home to Cary for dinner, or at least groceries, and two young adult terrier-mix dogs who keep the nest from feeling too empty.

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