Whole Foods Market has announced the launch of "Responsibly Grown," an industry-leading tiered produce rating system that assesses growing practices that impact human health and the environment. The new rating system labels fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers as "good," "better," or "best" to help shoppers make more informed choices. To earn a "good" rating, a farm must take 16 major steps to protect air, soil, water, and human health.
A "better" rating indicates advanced performance and a "best" rating indicates exceptional, industry-leading performance in a scoring system covering multiple topics in each of seven key categories. The system also prohibits the use of several organophosphate insecticides. The program seeks to reward growers for existing accomplishments and raise the bar to encourage continuous improvement while minimizing additional burdens for growers.
