We Know Our Farmers

Whole Foods Market® is proud of our long affiliations with growers across the country. For us, knowing your farmer isn't the latest trend: It's the way we've done business from the very beginning‚ nearly 30 years ago. Our tradition of working at the grower level means our farm-to-market produce ends up on your table at the peak of freshness and flavor.

In the search to bring you the best, our Produce Field Inspectors spend more than 12,000 hours a year inspecting produce farms and packing facilities. This team works with our grower-partners to hand-select fruits and vegetables of exceptional flavor, texture and ripeness. We‚Äore on site during harvesting, checking growing conditions and product suitability for our discerning customers. Visiting farms, ports and packing facilities ensures that our high standards are met all throughout the post-harvest packing and shipping process.

**What does that mean for you? **

Fulfillment of our promise to deliver the freshest and most flavorful produce. Our focus on organically grown, regionally and locally sourced produce conveys our respect for the earth and the environment, as well as the craft of growing and producing wholesome, minimally processed food.

We devote more space to organic produce than any other supermarket in the country. Choosing organics directly supports farmers and producers who are committed to good health, quality foods and sustainable agricultural practices. Partnerships with local farms help us stay connected to the seasons and to favorite regional varieties. Eating seasonally means enjoying produce at its peak freshness and flavor. We also offer many fruits and vegetables that have earned our Whole Trade¬Æ Guarantee, which ensures they‚Äove been produced according to our quality and ethical standards: fair wages and working conditions along with care for the environment.

With produce coming from various sources, we are committed to helping you know where each tomato, grape, fig and flower in our stores comes from. Whole Foods Market was one of the first national grocers to provide point-of-origin information at displays so customers can make immediate, informed decisions.

Offering our customers the best of the best is not just our responsibility, but our honor.

Meet the Expert

Growing up on a farm in Northern Georgia, Whole Foods Market field inspector Dana Peters has parlayed his love of the land and its bounty into a career focused on communicating best practices in agricultural production. Dana travels throughout the southeastern United States visiting growers of citrus, squash, greens, peppers, cucumbers, melons, berries, onions, flowers and asparagus.

Dana's relationship and involvement with the growers he works with is the most rewarding part of his job. An example of this is a Georgia greens farmer, Thomas Gosier, who was struggling to make ends meet. By suggesting additional crops and providing a stable market for his product in our stores, Thomas was able to grow his business and continue doing what he loves.

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