Equitable Food Initiative: Innovation to Address the Plight of Farmworkers

In 2008, Oxfam staff envisioned a new approach to address the poverty wages and harsh conditions of farmworkers, one of the most mistreated workforces in the United States. Oxfam created a multi-stakeholder initiative, bringing together for the first time all the key players in the fresh produce supply chain: farmworkers, growers and retailers. All of these players had a history of conflict and antagonism with each other, but they had to find a way to identify their overlapping interests and collaborate to bring about change in the fresh produce industry. Overcoming the industry’s barriers to change required valiant leadership. To receive the Teaching Notes for this case, please contact keoughschool@nd.edu.