<p><strong>Los Angeles, CA</strong><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The Giumarra Companies is announcing that one of its growers, Gilberto Salazar, has been certified to sell Fair Trade watermelons and grapes. For more than 20 years, Giumarra has worked with the Salazar family to market their watermelons and grapes that have been grown in Sonora, Mexico, according to a press release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> We are extremely proud to work with the Salazar family because of the long-standing community programs they have in place,” states John Corsaro, Executive Vice President of the Giumarra Companies. “Fair Trade will allow us to further benefit the community in which the farm operates, while partnering us with like-minded customers who want to pursue this cause.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> By purchasing watermelons or grapes grown on the Salazar ranch, Giumarra customers now have the option to buy fruit bearing the Fair Trade label. The product is sold at a premium, with the additional funds going to a worker council fund for the employees of the farm. The funds from the Fair Trade label fruit support community development programs that include micro-lending, education, and housing projects. The projects are voted on by the worker council.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The Salazar family has had a social responsibility commitment in place since 2009, with a program that provides employees and their families with free child care, weekly medical checks, housing, meals, education, and transportation to and from elementary and secondary school.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>www.giumarra.com</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
