Chipotle commits $10 million to help local farmers
Chipotle commits $10 million to help local farmers
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced the formation of the Chipotle Local Grower Support Initiative, a new program to help smaller, local suppliers meet its heightened food-safety standards. The company plans to commit up to $10 million to help local farms meet its food-safety standards and to make more local ingredients available across the country.
The news comes one week after the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention said the multi-state outbreaks linked Chipotle appear to be over. The most recent illness reported to CDC started on Dec. 1, 2015.
“We have supported local farms around the country for a number of years because we believe it is the right thing to do,” Steve Ells, Chipotle founder, co-chief executive officer and chairman, said in a press release. “We recognize that it may make it difficult for some local farms to comply with our heightened standards, but we are looking to help local farmers comply with our standards and to continue our support for local farms and rural communities around the country.”
The company said the initiative will provide the support and education necessary to meet the company’s high standards and help offset the costs of enhanced testing and food-safety practices for some smaller farmers. Additionally, financial assistance will be provided in the form of grants or premiums to help cover the higher costs of enhanced food-safety practices.
Chipotle will also look to develop new partnerships and seek out farmers using greenhouses and other technologies around the country that meet the company’s food-safety standards.
More information about the Chipotle Local Grower Initiative is available at Chipotle.com/localgrowersupport.
