T
he dilemma that Chiriboga and growers like him face
is that they are sincere about their desire to transition
to more sustainable practices—some of them live on
their farms and watch their grandchildren play in the
greenhouses—but they’re not sure how to get the message out to
consumers in the faraway countries that import their products. If a
farmer ships flowers to several different countries, participating in
the eco-label programs of each can mean complying with different
standards, paying multiple fees, and participating in several
independent audits every year.
Germany’s FLP might have been the best of several less-than-ideal
choices for Ecoroses, but Chiriboga was still glad to get the label. It
turns out the Germans are surprisingly environmentally aware and
enthusiastic consumers of flowers. The FLP program helped Chiriboga
bring his farm up to speed by requiring health care for workers,
reforestation efforts, and other improvements. “I have to admit,” he
says, the certification process “forced us to be better organized.”
Today a farm in Latin America might participate in Germany’s
FLP, along with Florverde, a green label founded by Asocolflores,
the Colombian flower growers association, or its Ecuadorian
counterpart, FlorEcuador. It might also be certified through
Switzerland’s Max Havelaar program, a Dutch program called MPS,
or the international Fair Trade label, among others. Each program
has different specifications, from requiring minimal compliance
with local laws to forbidding the use of any pesticides deemed
hazardous by the World Health Organization to requiring farms
adhere to an international code of conduct for their workers.
“One big step,” Chiriboga says, “would be to try to standardize
the certifications into one or two that can be well promoted to
consumers.” He added that coming up with a single worldwide
certification would save him money, too. “My flowers do cost more
to produce,” he says, “and we do not get a higher price for that. We
hope at some point in the future that we will.” In 2006, Ecoroses
received certification from VeriFlora, the first eco-flower label in
the United States. The label is managed by Scientific Certification
Systems (SCS), which certifies a number of products, including
Colombian flower growers’ association.
Farms receive independent, third-party
inspections to verify compliance with
environmental and labor standards.
florverde.org
Flower Label Program
A program certifying flowers sold in
Germany, no matter where the farms are
located.
f airflowers.de
Max Havelaar
A Swiss program that certifies not just
flowers, but also coffee, sugar, chocolate,
produce, and other products grown in the
In order to meet
certification requirements,
Ecoroses is required to
provide harvesters like
Christina Collahuazo
with health care
provisions, meals,
and transportation.
Southern Hemisphere for sale in Switzerland.
maxhavelaar.ch/en
MPS
The Dutch program used by many growers
who sell their products through the country’s
flower auction system. Growers receive letter
grades (A, B, or C) for their practices.
my-mps.com
Sierra Eco
A Canadian distributor’s label for flowers
certified through VeriFlora and other label
programs.
sierraeco.com
USDA National Organic Program
A program that regulates the use of the
term organic as applied to a wide variety
of products, including flowers. A USDAapproved certifier must visit the farm to
ensure the farmer is following the guidelines.
ams.usda.gov/nop
VeriFlora
A program for flowers sold in the US,
regardless of where they are grown. Flowers
must be farmed in accordance with a set of
sustainable agriculture, environmental, and
labor standards, as verified by independent
auditors. veriflora.com
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