Being a Decent Company

Whole Foods is the 1st grocer to agree to pay more for tomatoes from Florida in order for the workers to get higher pay.

Whole Foods makes deal for Florida tomatoes

Whole Foods Market said Tuesday it has agreed to pay an additional penny per pound more for any tomatoes purchased in Florida, as part of a deal with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

The coalition has already signed similar deals with many of the major fast-food companies including Burger King, McDonald's and Taco Bell. Whole Foods becomes the first supermarket to agree to a deal with the CIW, which has been advocating for improved wages and working conditions for Florida tomato pickers.

''After carefully evaluating the situation in Florida, we felt that an agreement of this nature was in line with our core values and was in the best interest of the workers,'' Karen Christensen, global produce coordinator for Whole Foods Market, said in a statment.

Whole Foods said it hopes to be able to pass the additional money on to the workers. That issue could be challenging because Florida tomato growers are refusing to participate in any of these agreements.

Whole Foods wants to implement a domestic purchasing program, similar to the Whole Trade Guarantee program used in developing countries to ensure that producers and laborers get an equitable price for their goods and a healthy working environment. Whole Foods said it hopes to be able to purchase Florida tomatoes from growers willing to follow a similar program.