BloomCheck: The Newest Certification for Cut Flowers

Jennifer Duffield White

Cut flower consumers are going to see a new sustainable cut flower certification in the floral section—one that brags as much about sustainability as it does origin. The California Cut Flower Commission has launched their Certified BloomCheck program.

CCFC used a two-year Specialty Crop Block Grant to study options on how to better position California’s flower farming practices as a sustainable choice for consumers. The idea is to make sure California growers, operating under strict oversight and high standards, get credit for their sustainability measures.

How it works: While BloomCheck is a CCFC program, the standards are set by by an outside organization, SureHarvest. And the certification is provided by Protected Harvest, an accreditation and auditing firm that is an independent nonprofit organization.

While there are other certifications for cut flowers, BloomCheck intends to set itself apart by only being for American flower farmers, starting with California. They will not certify imported products. More at www.bloomcheck.org. GT