Bloom Check Sustainability

Sun Valley just made a change that is good news for you, good news for your flowers, AND good news for the environment--we have officially switched over to Bloom Check.

Okay, so what is Bloom Check? Bloom Check a certification program all about sustainable farming practices in the US.  More specifically, it the gold standard in the sustainable certification of fresh cut flowers and foliage.

For retailers and consumers, it means the flowers you buy are grown under the highest standards for flower production, cultivated with respect for the land and dignity for the people who work it.  You are buying the best--and kindest--flowers that America has to offer.

For us, the flower farmer, it means we've met the most rigorous standards for growing flowers in the US.  We have gone through an extensive audit to ensure that we are using best practices with regards to water use, air and soil quality, wildlife protection, as well as societal impacts on our team members and community.    We have earned the right to wear the Bloom Check badge of honor on our (flower) sleeves, and we wear it proudly.  

Look for this sticker/logo on the flowers you buy

So, what are these rigorous standards? 

To ensure objectivity, the standards, accreditation, and audits for Bloom Check are conducted by a third-party certifier, Protected Harvest.

Protected Harvest is an independent, nonprofit organization which judges sustainability based on nine different production management categories: field scouting, information sources, pest management, field management, weed management, insect management, disease management, soil and water quality, and storage.
 

Not only that, we must stay below a certain number of toxicity units per acre.  Highly toxic pesticides are prohibited, and earth-friendly biological methods (good bugs vs. bad bugs) are encouraged.  Also, each handler of the crop must undergo a chain-of-custody audit that follows the crop from field to retail.  This extra step ensures that ALL levels of flower production (including storage, packing, and transportation)  is done as sustainably as possible.

Yellow Sticky Tape as non-invasive bug control

How is Bloom Check different from other sustainable certifications?

Origin matters!  Bloom Check is specifically designed for flower farmers in the United States, giving you the assurance that your flowers were not imported from another country on an air freighter or big boat.  Moreover, because Bloom Check is specific to American Grown flower products, the farms must also adhere to regulations put forth by the USDA, EPA, CDFA, State Water Board, Coastal Commission, and more  This gives consumers an authoritative guarantee from Protected Harvest and tens of regulatory government agencies that the Bloom Check flowers you buy are sustainably grown, with no shortcuts.

Sun Valley has always practiced sustainability, but changing our certification to Bloom Check helps us exhibit our practices with pride (and a stout guarantee). Sustainability is innovation, and our efforts to rework energy use, recycle water and soil, and take care of our employees is not only good for the environment, it's good for business.

When you buy or sell our Bloom Check-certified blooms, you can feel good that they are not only gorgeous in their appearance but also good for the earth and the future.