OXNARD, CA - In the fresh produce industry, one of our top goals is to uphold the integrity and quality of the products put on shelves. As such, Mission Produce has announced the implementation of a policy aimed at addressing illegal deforestation associated with avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico.

“Illegal deforestation in Michoacán, where a significant majority of Mexico’s overall avocado production is from, is an important issue to our company and our stakeholders,” said John Pawlowski, President and Chief Operating Officer. “For that reason, we are taking action to promote environmental stewardship in this area. While we cannot solve the issue of illegal deforestation in this region alone, this policy demonstrates our commitment to be part of the solution and aims to set a positive precedent in the industry.”

In the policy, Mission Produce will prohibit its direct sourcing operations in Michoacán from sourcing avocados from the 279 orchards recently identified to be associated with illegal deforestation by the Ministry of Environment for the State of Michoacán, a press release stated.

On a quarterly basis, the company will review and assess any additional ranches identified by the Ministry of Environment for the State of Michoacán to be associated with illegal deforestation and continue to explore available resources and methodologies to identify additional actions it can implement to address this important issue.

The policy can be found on the sustainability page of the company’s website here.

AndNowUKnow will continue to report as we hear more.