If your farm or facility exists to serve a research, educational, or charitable purpose, consider becoming a partner with Food Alliance. Organizations that may qualify could include:
- A demonstration or student run farm at a university.
- A non-profit led farm to support community food access and/or gardening education.
- An incubator farm to train beginning farmers.
- A university food processing facility to train new bakers, cheese makers, etc.
- A non-profit led food processing or distribution business to support community food access and/or job skills training.
For such organizations, Food Alliance can provide an interactive and educational opportunity to participate in a sustainability audit with a qualified inspector, to assess strengths and weaknesses, and to develop goals and a plan for on-going improvement to the operation and social and environmental management practices.
Qualified partners pay only the actual cost of inspection (inspector time and travel). Partners are eligible to make certification claims for any products that do meet requirements, but all licensing fees are waived.
The standards, evaluation tools, and inspection process used for Food Alliance certification can give students valuable experience with audits and compliance, with direct application when they manage their own farms or develop food business careers. The application and inspection process are also an opportunity for education on socially and environmentally responsible farm and food business management practices.
Together, we will have a greater impact in raising awareness about sustainability in agriculture and the food industry.
Contact us with questions about certification and what a partnership could entail:
Read about the first Food Alliance Certified Education Partner: