USA — Leading Greek yogurt maker in America, Chobani has partnered with Fair Trade USA to launch a new certification program aimed fostering sustainable dairy farming in the United States.

The new first of its kind certification program provides financial premiums to dairy farmers while also giving them an opportunity to differentiate, increase engagement with consumers

Certification also provides greater support for farmworkers in an industry that can face challenges in workforce availability, working hours and farm safety.

An immigrant workforce, which makes up an estimated half of the US dairy workforce and is especially vulnerable to these issues because of limited legal protections, will also benefit from Fair Trade USA’s new dairy program.

“Fair Trade USA’s certification will help our dairy farmers, ensure the well-being of their animals and their land, while giving consumers greater peace of mind that the dairy they buy demonstrates a commitment to positive economic, environmental and social pillars,” says Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of Chobani.

The program follows Fair Trade USA’s partnership with Chobani, which announced its Milk Matters initiative in 2019 to further its commitment to support economic, environmental, and social standards throughout the company’s milk supply chain.

As part of Chobani’s Milk Matters initiative, Fair Trade USA initiated a pilot program with dairy farms and cooperatives in New York and Idaho to determine how the organization’s Agricultural Production Standard (APS) could be applied to the dairy industry.

The result – a version of the APS modified for the dairy industry – is now being offered to all dairy farms and cooperatives throughout the US. 

Commenting on the partnership, Paul Rice, CEO, Fair Trade USA said: “Fair trade is often associated with commodities like coffee, cocoa and textiles produced in the Global South, and not as known within agricultural and farming operations here in America.”

“We believe in bringing the benefits of fair trade to as many in the industry as possible to create impact.”

To support the new certification program, Chobani is releasing Fair Trade Certified Greek yogurt versions for all of its 32-ounce, multi-serve tubs, including Whole Milk Plain, Low Fat Plain, Non-Fat Plain, Strawberry Blended and Vanilla Blended.

Chobani’s Fair Trade Certified yogurt products are sold nationally at all major grocery and retail stores and are produced at Chobani’s Twin Falls, Idaho, and South Edmeston, New York, production facilities.

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