Whole Foods Market confirmed today that Alderman Farms and Lady Moon Farms in Florida have reached agreements with Whole Foods to support the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) penny-per-pound program and meet strict labor standards. This step forward by Alderman Farms and Lady Moon Farms effectively breaks the stalemate established nearly two seasons ago when the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange (FTGE) threatened to fine any of its members that sold tomatoes under the terms of the CIW agreements.

As the CIW explained, “The Campaign for Fair Food is bearing fruit. For nearly two seasons, the Campaign’s promise of fair wages for Florida’s farmworkers has been held hostage by the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange. Today, however, the higher wages and fairer conditions we have fought for will begin to reach the workers who so clearly deserve them, thanks to the leadership of Whole Foods Market and the forward thinking growers at Alderman Farms and Lady Moon Farms. Without a doubt, the food market is changing, and for the better. Sustainability, social as well as environmental, is the way of the future. Together we — as farmworkers, farmers, and buyers — are forging a path toward that better future.” For more information and celebration visit www.ciw-online.org.