Nursery and Greenhouse Operations

This covers woody ornamentals, annuals, perennials, foliage plants, potted flowering plants and cut flowers.

Getting Started

Food Alliance certification is a voluntary means for agricultural producers and food companies to address growing customer demand for traceability, transparency, and social and environmental responsibility. This page is specifically for nursery and greenhouse operations.

For producers interested in certification, they need to download and and review these documents:

1. Food Alliance Nursery and Greenhouse Overview

2. Food Alliance Nursery and Greenhouse Sustainability Standard

3. Food Alliance Evaluation Tool

4. Food Alliance Policy and Procedures Manual

What is the Food Alliance Nursery and Greenhouse Sustainability Standard?

The standard applies to field, container, and greenhouse operations in North America producing one or more of the following products: woody ornamentals, annuals, perennials, foliage plants, potted flowering plants and cut flowers.

The Food Alliance sustainability standard for crop operations describes in general terms a vision and goals to improve management in the following areas of concern:

• Safe and fair working conditions

• Adaptive management of pests, diseases, and weeds,

• Soil and water conservation,

• Wildlife habitat and biodiversity conservation, , and,

• Operational efficiencies (energy use, recycling, etc.).

The standard does not currently apply to Christmas trees, tree farms, etc.

What is the Food Alliance Evaluation Tool for Nursery and Greenhouse Operations?

The Food Alliance Evaluation Tool for Nursery and Greenhouse Operations describes criteria and indicators used to assess sustainability practices and outcomes. The Evaluation Tool has two purposes:

• Growers may use the Evaluation Tool as a self-assessment to benchmark current management practices and sustainability performance.

• Third-party inspectors will use the Evaluation Tool to determine if an operation meets the requirements of the Food Alliance Certification program.

Please note that applicants for Food Alliance certification must meet both the criteria for their production type(s) and the Wildlife and Working Conditions criteria.

What is the Food Alliance Policy and Procedures Manual?

The Food Alliance Policy and Procedures Manual lays out rules that govern the certification program.

Certification Process

Application > Site Inspection > Inspection Report > Review > Certification

Step 1: Application

Complete, sign and date the application, contractual agreement, and licensing agreement (if applicable). The initial inspection fee with application deposit must be included in order for an application to be processed.

To ensure your application is complete and reduce delays, please:

• Answer all of the questions.

• Sign the application documents where required.

• Provide any necessary supporting documentation.

• Include payment for the application fee.

This application covers woody ornamentals, annuals, perennials, foliage plants, potted flowering plants and cut flowers.

Producers should review the Food Alliance Sustainability Standard for Nursery and Greenhouse Operations, the Evaluation Tool for Nursery and Greenhouse Operations, and the Policy and Procedures manual before applying for certification.

Step 2: Site Inspection

The second step of the process is to host an inspection. Food Alliance will assign your application to a qualified inspector with experience in your particular production system. During the on-site visit, the inspector will verify the information presented in your application and assess your management practices. Your inspector will contact you to set up your inspection visit.

Step 3: Inspection Report Review

The third step is a review of the inspection results. During the inspection, your inspector uses the evaluation criteria found in relevant inspection tools to assess your management practices. Following the inspection, the completed inspection tools and inspection documentation are submitted to Food Alliance to determine if requirements have been met.

If the reviewer determines requirements have been met, an Inspection Response Form is issued which lists suggestions for continual improvement. You will be asked to complete and return the Inspection Response Form, indicating your agreement to implement the suggested improvements. Once improvement suggestions are finalized and the reviewer issues final approval, Food Alliance certification is issued.

If the reviewer determines requirements have not been fully met or additional information is needed, the reviewer will contact you to request additional information and/or assign certification conditions (listed on the Inspection Response Form).

If the reviewer determines certification cannot be issued, you will be sent the inspection review findings, with an explanation of the “certification denied” decision.

Step 4: Certification Decision

Once the inspection report is received, the certification decision will be made. Upon final approval, Food Alliance will issue your certification letter. If you are certified independently and will be engaging in a licensing agreement to market Food Alliance certified product(s), Food Alliance will contact you to complete some final steps prior to issuing your Food Alliance certification certificate.

Grievance Policy: If you feel that the site inspector’s findings are unfair or inaccurate, you may submit a request for re-evaluation to Food Alliance. A request must be made in writing within 30 days of receiving the official site report, detailing the perceived inaccuracies of the site inspection. Applicants should also state whether or not they would like to be inspected by a different site inspector. Re-inspections of this nature will be provided to you at no cost. No further appeals will be accepted. However, you may reapply after you have made changes to your operation as suggested in the site report.

Step 5: Food Alliance Certification Certificate, Licensing Agreement and Label Approval

The final step in the certification process is the issuance of a certificate number and a Food Alliance Certification Certificate. Food Alliance will assign certificate holders a certificate number and will issue an official certificate which lists products on which certification claims are approved. Food Alliance will countersign the licensing agreement submitted with your application. A copy of the licensing agreement, certification certificate, and licensing fee invoice will be mailed to you. You will also be sent information on Food Alliance labeling rules, certification seal usage, and certification claims guidance. All product labels and/or marketing materials asserting Food Alliance certification claims or using the Food Alliance certification seal must be approved prior to use.

Step 6: Maintaining Certification

All Food Alliance certified operations will be sent an Annual Update form in January of each year which must be completed and returned. All Food Alliance certificate holders (producers & handlers) must report sales of Food Alliance certified products annually, and pay licensing fees according to the agreed upon invoicing schedule. Additionally, all Food Alliance certified producers must update their application and be re-inspected once every 3 years. Food Alliance certified handlers must update their application and be re-inspected on an annual basis.

Suspension and Revocation

If doubts are raised that an operation is not adhering to the certification standards, Food Alliance staff will investigate. If that investigation confirms the certification standards are not being met, that operation’s certification will be suspended. Food Alliance will provide the operation’s managers the reason(s) for suspension, specific steps for restoring certification, and a timeline for making the necessary changes. If the violation is remedied within the timeframe, certification will be restored. Otherwise, the certification will be revoked.

If you have any questions, or would like to receive these application forms in Word format by e-mail or a hard copy by mail, please contact our Certification Manager at (425) 466-7168 or certification@foodalliance.org.