mazmessenger.com
Two months ago the Los Angeles Times published a series of articles
exposing the mistreatement of México’s farm workers by Mexican agribusinesses
that supply major U.S. supermarket chains and restaurants.
In response to those articles, Enrique Martinez y Martinez, México’s Secretary of Agriculture, told the media on Thursday that the government was creating a “historic” alliance of produce industry groups that will focus on enforcing wage laws and improving housing, schools and healthcare for the more than one million laborers at export farms. The Secretary of Agriculture said that the group represents growers and distributors that handle 90 percent of México’s produce exports to the United States.
Separately, Wal-Mart told reporters that to ensure that Mexican farm workers are treated with “respect and dignity,” they are reminding its in-house buyers they should buy produce only from farms that meet the company’s standards for decent treatment of workers.
Wal-Mart also said it will ask outside suppliers to certify that they have visited “any new facility they plan to use for Wal-Mart production” and that the facilities meet company standards.
Wal-Mart told reporters it would send a team of senior leaders to attend meetings with growers involved with the new initiative, called the International Produce Alliance to Promote a Socially Responsible Industry.
Martinez y Martinez said, “We will continue making history in the sector with successful achievements like this one.”
“We’re optimistic and encouraged that the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture … seems to be taking a leading role in the [alliance] by working closely with producers in México,” Wal-Mart said.
(from Los Angeles Times)
In response to those articles, Enrique Martinez y Martinez, México’s Secretary of Agriculture, told the media on Thursday that the government was creating a “historic” alliance of produce industry groups that will focus on enforcing wage laws and improving housing, schools and healthcare for the more than one million laborers at export farms. The Secretary of Agriculture said that the group represents growers and distributors that handle 90 percent of México’s produce exports to the United States.
Separately, Wal-Mart told reporters that to ensure that Mexican farm workers are treated with “respect and dignity,” they are reminding its in-house buyers they should buy produce only from farms that meet the company’s standards for decent treatment of workers.
Wal-Mart also said it will ask outside suppliers to certify that they have visited “any new facility they plan to use for Wal-Mart production” and that the facilities meet company standards.
Wal-Mart told reporters it would send a team of senior leaders to attend meetings with growers involved with the new initiative, called the International Produce Alliance to Promote a Socially Responsible Industry.
Martinez y Martinez said, “We will continue making history in the sector with successful achievements like this one.”
“We’re optimistic and encouraged that the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture … seems to be taking a leading role in the [alliance] by working closely with producers in México,” Wal-Mart said.
(from Los Angeles Times)
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