COMMONWEALTH QUALITY SECTORS

Program Participant Information - Application Package

Having the seal of Commonwealth Quality on your products conveys freshness, safety and reliability to consumers. It provides an unspoken guarantee that your products are not only Massachusetts-grown, harvested and tended with care, but that your practices adhere to a top-level set of criteria and environmental standards.

You and Commonwealth Quality. Bringing fresh, safe, sustainably produced high-quality products to consumers.

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To apply to become a certified Commonwealth Quality business, you’ll need to review, complete and submit the following registration paperwork: 

Sector-specific program requirements for participation are outlined in this document. Your business must meet all of the outlined requirements for those product lines it wishes to sell under the CQP label. By signing the accompanying certification form, you agree to comply with program standards.

Fill out this form with basic contact information – business name, address, phone, etc., and provide details about the products you’d like to register. Don’t forget to attach a check for $50 made out to the “New England Vegetable & Berry Grower’s Association”; this covers your one-time registration fee.

Signing this agreement grants you permission to use the seal of Commonwealth Quality on registered products and in your marketing materials in exchange for following program standards. 

This checklist outlines best management practices that were developed by MDAR, Farm Bureau, & the UMass Extension specifically for Commonwealth Quality. BMPs focus on soil conservation and health, integrated pest management, worker protection, and food safety. 

The corresponding score sheet is a self-assessment survey that will help us understand whether your business currently qualifies for the program. 

 

If you have questions or input related to registration materials or Commonwealth Quality in general, please contact the CQP program coordinator. All registration materials should be sent to:

Michael Botelho
Commonwealth Quality Program Coordinator
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
251 Causeway Street, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02115
Michael.Botelho@state.ma.us
Office: 617-626-1721
Mobile: 508-985-8751