Where Food Comes From Inc. (dba IMI Global, Inc.), a Castle Rock, Colo.-based verifier of food production practices, announced plans to acquire SureHarvest Inc., Soquel, Calif.

The transaction expands and diversifies WFCF’s commodity reach with high-value specialty crops, including winegrapes, almonds, hazelnuts, strawberries, mushrooms, cut flowers, leafy greens and other fresh produce.

“SureHarvest has built a strong portfolio of solutions for the agri-food chain, and this deal takes us one step closer to being a one-stop-shop for growers who are facing increased pressures to streamline operations and improve productivity, resource efficiency and profitability, while better meeting the needs of customers and consumers,” says John Saunders, chairman and CEO of WFCF. “Together, SureHarvest and Where Food Comes From bring even more industry knowledge, expertise and resources than either company on its own.”

The deal also allows more growers to be able to tell their sustainability and production stories.

“Where Food Comes From and SureHarvest both operate from the premise that consumers want and will continue to demand information about where food comes from, how food is grown and by whom,” says Dr. Jeff Dlott, president and CEO of SureHarvest. “In addition, both aim to create a smarter, more transparent food system by using technology to create greater connectivity between suppliers, buyers and consumers. We also believe producers, packers, distributors and retailers can be better managers of natural resources and even achieve competitive differentiation through verification and traceability initiatives. Through this new deal, we can help even more agri-food suppliers tell their stories.”

SureHarvest employs a range of sustainability and farming management information systems (MIS) solutions, certification, compliance management and professional services, including its flagship sustainability management information system.

SureHarvest also brings five issued patents, eight 2016 patent allowances and three pending applications that provide broad coverage in the field of where food comes from and how it is produced, including devices, methods and systems to capture farm level data, record chain of custody (traceability) and automatically certify and/or communicate agricultural production and/or product information to consumers.  

“Food producers from beef to almonds to wine grapes are challenged to meet ever higher standards of stewardship in managing natural resources in support of their supply chains, operations and corporate responsibility initiatives. Together, SureHarvest and WFCF can further provide much-needed solutions,” says Leann Saunders, WFCF president.