Rainforest Alliance Certified
Certified products meet high standards for wildlife conservation, worker welfare and benefits to local communities.
Applied Standards
The standard follows three principles: effective planning and management system, biodiversity conservation, natural resource conservation, improved livelihood and human well-being, and sustainable cattle production. "To make their businesses more sustainable and productive, farmers must keep an eye on their farms’ many social, environmental, and economic facets—e.g., how much energy and water is used, what percentage of their farm area is devoted to production, how many seasonal workers do they hire, and more. Certified farms implement an integrated farm-planning and -management system, establishing procedures and systems for ensuring continuous improvement on the path towards sustainable agriculture. Certified farms protect their natural ecosystems and do not contribute to deforestation. They also help to conserve the broader landscape of which they are a part by maintaining wildlife corridors and aquatic ecosystems, and by avoiding negative impacts to nearby protected areas. They support the protection of endangered species and other native flora and fauna, by prohibiting hunting, safeguarding against the spread of invasive species, and taking steps to minimize human-wildlife conflict. The careful conservation of natural resources, such as water and soil, is a foundational basis for sustainable farming and helps to increase a farm’s resilience to climate change. Certified farms work to minimize soil erosion and compaction, improve soil fertility, treat wastewater, conserve water and energy, manage solid waste, and reduce the use of pesticides by applying integrated pest management techniques.
Allowable nonsynthetic
The following pesticides are allowed but must be used with risk mitigation: 1,3-Dichloropropene, 2,4-D, 2-ethylhexyl ester, 2,4-D, isooctyl ester, Acephate, Acequinocyl, Acetamiprid, Acifluorfen, sodium salt, Amitraz, Amitrole, Anilazine, Avermectin, Azoxystrobin, Bendiocarb, Benfluralin, Bensulide, Bentazon, sodium salt, Bifenthrin, Bromacil, Bromoxynil heptanoate, Bromoxynil octanoate, Captan, Carbaryl, Chlorine dioxide, Chlormequat chloride, Chloropicrin, Chlorothalonil, Chlorpyrifos, Chlorpyrifos-methyl, Copper hydroxide, Copper oxide (ic), Copper oxide (ous) , Copper oxychloride, Copper oxychloride sulfate, Copper sulfate (anhydrous), Copper sulfate (pentahydrate), Cube extracts, Cyanazine, Cycloate, Cyhalothrin, gamma, Cyhalothrin, lambda, Cypermethrin, Cypermethrin, beta, Dazomet, Deltamethrin, Diazinon, Dichlobenil, Dichloran, Diclofop-methyl, Dicofol, Difenzoquat methyl sulfate, Diflubenzuron, Dimethenamid-P, Dimethoate, Dinotefuran, Diphenylamine, Diquat dibromide, Diquat ion, Diuron, Dodine, D-trans Allethrin, Emamectin benzoatem, EPTC, Esfenvalerate, Ethalfluralin, Ethion, Etoxazole, Famoxadone, Fenbutatin-oxide, Fenitrothion, Fenoxycarb, Fenpropathrin, Fenpyroximate, Fentin hydroxide, Ferbam, Fluazinam, Flufenacet, Fluopyram, Folpet, Fomesafen sodium, Formaldehyde, Formetanate hydrochloride, Glyphosate, isopropylamine salt, Glyphosate-trimesium, Hexazinone, Hydrogen cyanamide, Indoxacarb, S-isomer, Iodosulfuron methyl, sodium salt, Isoxaben, Lenacil, Lime-sulfur, Malathion, Maleic hydrazide, potassium salt, Mancozeb, Maneb, MCPA, 2-ethyl hexyl ester, MCPA, isooctyl ester, Metalaxyl, Metam potassium, Metconazole, Methoprene, Methoxychlor, Methyl iodide, Methyl isothiocyanate, Metiram, Metolachlor, Metolachlor, (S), Metribuzin, Mineral oil, refined , Myclobutanil, Nabam, Naled, Napropamide, Norflurazon, Novaluron, Ortho-phenylphenol, Ortho-phenylphenol, sodium salt, Oryzalin, Oxadiazon, Oxycarboxin, Oxyfluorfen, Oxythioquinox, PCNB (Quintozene), Pendimethalin, Permethrin, Phosalone, Phosmet, Pirimicarb, Prometryn, Propamocarb hydrochloride, Propanil, Propargite, Propoxur, Prosulfuron, Pyraclostrobin, Pyrethrins, Pyridaben, Resmethrin, Rotenone, S-Dimethenamid, Simazine, Sodium chlorate, Sodium dimethyl dithio carbamate, ) Sodium hypochlorite, Sodium tetrathiocarbonate, Spinetoram (XDE-175-J), Spinosad (mixture of Factors A&D), Spirodiclofen, Sulfentrazone, Terrazole; etridiazole, Tetrachlorvinphos, Z-isomer, Tetraconazole, Thiabendazole, Thiabendazole, Thiobencarb, Thiodicarb, Thiophanate-methyl , Tolfenpyrad, Triadimenol, Triallate, Triclopyr, triethylamine salt, Trifloxystrobin, Trifluralin, Triforine, Triticonazole, Zineb, Ziram
Prohibited nonsynthetic substances
The following pesticides are prohibited: acrolein, alachlor, aldicarb, alpha-BHC; alpha-HCH, Alpha-chlorohydrin, Aluminum phosphide, Anthracene oil, Arsenic and its compounds, Atrazine, Azafenidin, Azinphos-ethyl, Azinphos-methyl, Benomyl, Beta-cyfluthrin; Cyfluthrin, ) beta-HCH; beta-BCH, Blasticidin-S, Borax; disodium tetraborate decahydrate, Boric acid, Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Bromethalin, Butoxycarboxim, Cadusafos, Captafol, Carbendazim, Carbofuran, Chlordane, Chlorethoxyphos, Chlorfenvinphos, Chlormephos, Chlorophacinone, Clothianidin, Coumaphos, Coumatetralyl, Creosote, DDT, Demeton-S-methyl, Dichlorvos; DDVP, Dicrotophos, Difenacoum, Difethialone, Dinocap, Dinoterb, Diphacinone, Disulfoton, DNOC and its salts, Edifenphos, Endosulfan, Endosulfan I, E-Phosphamidon, Epichlorohydrin, EPN, Epoxiconazole, Ethiofencarb, Ethoprophos; Ethoprop, Ethylene dibromide; 1,2-dibromoethane, Ethylene dichloride; 1,2-Dichloroethane, Ethylene oxide, Ethylene thiourea, Famphur, Fenamiphos, Fenchlorazole-ethyl, Fipronil, Flocoumafen, ) Fluazifop-butyl, Flucythrinate, Flumioxazin, Flumioxazin, Fluoroacetamide, Flusilazole, Formetanate, Furathiocarb, Glufosinate-ammonium, Heptenophos, Hexachlorobenzene, Hexchlorocyclohexane; BHC mixed isomers, Imidacloprid, Isoxathion, Lindane, Linuron, Magnesium phosphide, Mecarbam, Mercury and its compounds, Methamidophos, Methidathion, Methiocarb, Methomyl, Methyl bromide, Mevinphos, Monocrotophos, Nicotine, Nitrobenzene, Omethoate, Oxamyl, Oxydemeton-methyl, Paraquat dichloride, Parathion, Parathion-methyl, PCP; Pentachlorphenol, Pentachlorobenzene, Phorate, Phosphamidon, Phosphine, Propetamphos, Propylene oxide, Oxirane, Quizalofop-p-tefuryl, Silafluofen, Sodium fluoroacetate (1080), Strychnine, Sulfluramid, Sulfotep, Tebupirimifos, Tefluthrin, Terbufos, Thiamethoxam, Thiofanox, Thiometon, Thiram in formulations with benomyl and carbofuran only, Triazophos, Trichlorfon; metrifonato, Tridemorph, Triflumizole, Vamidothion, Vinclozolin, Warfarin, zeta-Cypermethrin, Zinc phosphide, Z-Phosphamidon, 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,3,4,5-Bistetrahydro2-furaldehyde, Aldrin, Binapacryl, Carbosulfan, Chloranil, Chlordecone (kepone), Chlordimeform, Chlorobenzilate, DBCP, Dieldrin, Dinoseb and its salts, Endrin, Heptachlor, Leptophos, Mirex, Nitrofen (TOK), Octamethylpyrophosphoramide (OMPA), Safrole, Silvex, Strobane; Terpene polychlorinates, TDE, Thallium sulfate, Toxaphene (camphechlor)
Qualifications/Disclosures
Farmers can use pesticides, but the amount is controlled and must continually be reduced