Chipotle agreed to pay a penny more per pound of tomatoes as part of an initiative led by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.
The restaurant became the 11th company to sign on to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Fair Food Program on Thursday.
The program, which requires all participating businesses to pay a premium to Florida farmworkers, aims to improve workers’ wages, working conditions and educational opportunities.
Victor Yengle, president of Chispas at UF and farmworkers’ rights activist, said he’s thrilled with Chipotle’s decision.
“If you talk to a farmworker, you can tell by their voice how much this program has changed their lives,” the 23-year-old UF economics senior said.
In addition to financial assistance, the Fair Food Program binds growers to a code of conduct that includes a voice for workers in health and safety issues, worker-to-worker education on the new protections under the code and a complaint resolution procedure.
“Chipotle has an unmatched track record driving positive change in the nation’s food supply and is continuously working to find better, more sustainable sources for all of the ingredients we use,” said Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold in a statement.
Contact Shelby Webb at swebb@alligator.org.
