Supply Chain Accountability Expands Rapidly A two-year-old Mexican certification program has achieved remarkable scale: roughly 80 packinghouses, processors, and producers representing over 90% of Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. now participate in the Pro-Forest Agriculture (PFA) system. Established in 2024 by Mexican environmental organization Guardián Forestal and the state government of Michoacán, the PFA program uses satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and geospatial analysis to screen orchards for recent deforestation. Suppliers maintain certification by excluding farms deforested since 2018 or carrying unresolved environmental fines from their supply chains. "The Mexican avocado industry was until recently associated with rampant deforestation," said Daniel Wilkinson, senior policy advisor at Climate Rights International. "Now, avocado buyers have a practical tool to screen orchards and make sourcing decisions based on rigorous, science-based monitoring — and they're using it. The result has been one of the most rapid transformations of an agricultural supply chain we've seen in recent years."
Retail Demand Drives Adoption Retailers have accelerated the program's expansion.
Costco Wholesale Corporation committed in 2025 to reduce deforestation in its avocado supply chain and encourage supplier participation. In May 2026, Sprouts Farmers Market announced that all Mexican avocados it sources must come from PFA-certified suppliers. Major U.S. avocado sellers—Calavo Growers, Fresh Del Monte Produce, Mission Produce, and West Pak Avocado—now participate in the system. These four companies supply from more than 80% of the 3 billion pounds of avocados consumed annually in the U.S.
Coverage Expands Across States The program has grown beyond its Michoacán origins to cover all six Mexican states with significant avocado production. The Guardián Forestal monitoring system now tracks more than 53,000 orchards spanning over 200,000 hectares. However, certification remains voluntary. Producers linked to recent deforestation can still sell into the U.S. market through companies that have not adopted PFA-certified sourcing. In June, more than 50 environmental and food organizations urged additional U.S. supermarkets to require PFA-certified avocados. "What Guardián Forestal and the participating companies have accomplished in less than two years is remarkable," Wilkinson said. "But the work isn't finished. Until all major retailers require PFA-certified sourcing, producers linked to recent deforestation will continue to have access to part of the U.S. market."
Why It Matters
For operators and procurement teams, the PFA program offers a traceable supply-chain tool to align sourcing with deforestation commitments. However, the system's voluntary nature means retailers without explicit policies can still source from non-certified suppliers—a gap that sustained advocacy pressure aims to close.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
