Canadian greenhouse grower-shipper DelFrescoPure has become the first grower in North America to grow SCS-certified pesticide-free strawberries.

DelFrescoPure grows its YES!Berries on 17 acres in its southwestern Ontario greenhouses.

“Consumers are demanding more, and rightfully so,” says Carl Mastronardi, the company’s president. “Delivering delicious, nutritious snacks all-year-round is no longer enough. They want to reduce their risk of exposure to pesticide residues in foods they consume, and rightfully so. This certification independently assures consumers that our greenhouse-grown strawberries do not have pesticide residue.”

The pesticide-free certification is conducted by Emeryville, California-based SCS Global Services (SCS), a third-party certifier of environmental, sustainability and food safety claims.