The horticulture industry in Queensland is considering implementing an 'ethical labour' certification in order to reduce worker exploitation on farms. This comes after multiple reports recently coming to light of exploitation of farm workers in Queensland. While the certification would not be mandatory, industry members believe it will allow consumers to support the farms which show the best work practices.
Farm lobby group Growcom has just secured $800,000 from the Fair Work Ombudsman Community Grants program, they plan to use it to train employers in better ethical labor practices. While most of it will go towards training, a part will also go into developing the ethical labour certification.
"This is a mechanism for the supply chain to ensure growers are meeting those [labour hire] standards," she said.
"It rewards those who are doing the right thing by giving them market access, and it disincentivises those who are doing the wrong thing and pushes them out of our industry."
Dr Geoffrey Annison, deputy chief executive of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, believes Growcom's certification proposal was the first of its kind in Australia. He believes that it will benefit the industry as a whole and especially consumers.
"There are certification systems in all industries regarding production processes, and they have a long track record of being successful," Dr Annison said.
"Certainly some certification schemes for areas where the consumers have a particular interest can be effective in ensuring consumers know appropriate production systems and ethical standards are applied.
"Consumers are certainly interested in the values of companies that bring their food supply to them.
"Anything that gives them additional comfort through this type of certification system would probably be valued by some consumers."
source: abc.net.au
