America's Ground Zero for Modern Slavery

America's Ground Zero for Modern Slavery

Dear Activist,

Florida's tomato farms supply 50% of all U.S. fresh tomatoes - but have also been called America's "ground zero for slavery."

The Fair Food Program is working to enforce a policy of zero tolerance for slavery on tomato farms. But a major U.S. supermarket chain, Publix Super Markets, is refusing to support the Fair Food Program.

Tell Publix to Support Fair Food.

Thanks for all you do!

Bob Fertik

Dear Activist,

Florida's tomato farms supply 50% of all U.S. fresh tomatoes - but have also been called America's "ground zero for slavery." Countless workers held against their will, threatened with violence and forced to haul hundreds of heavy tomato buckets a day for little to no pay.

Thankfully, a new solution called the Fair Food Program has been proven successful. The Fair Food Program is working to enforce a policy of zero tolerance for slavery on tomato farms.

But a major U.S. supermarket chain, Publix Super Markets, is refusing to support the Fair Food Program. Publix continues to buy tomatoes from growers that are not partners of the Fair Food Program and where workers still toil beyond the reach of its proven protection from modern slavery.

Please Tell Publix to Support Fair Food.

Leading brands including Subway, Whole Foods Market, McDonald's and Trader Joe's have already joined the fight against forced labor and now only buy tomatoes from growers who comply with the following Fair Food Principles:

· A code of conduct for tomato growers;
· Complaint mechanisms for farmworkers;
· Education sessions to help workers understand their rights; and
· Regular auditing of farm operations.

Will Publix Super Markets, which prides itself on making Fortune's "Best Companies to Work For" list, continue to turn a blind eye and give excuses, or will it leverage its vast market influence and lead the way in cleaning up slavery in the tomato supply chain once and for all?

Tell Publix to make the right decision to join the Fair Food Program - and ensure our tomatoes meet the highest human rights standards in the food industry today.

ENDS

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