Jim Knutzon Takes the Reins of SCS Global Services’ Food and Agriculture Division

Sustainable agriculture veteran Jim Knutzon has assumed oversight of SCS Global Services’ industry-leading food and agriculture services division. This division provides a wide array of third-party certification, standards development and consulting services, addressing the food safety, sustainability, and quality needs of the entire value chain, including food and fiber producers, manufacturers, handlers, retailers and consumers around the world.

“We’ve never been satisfied to simply reinforce the status quo,” said Mr. Knutzon. “As a benefit corporation, our mission has been to help companies achieve the highest levels of environmental, social and economic performance possible, and communicate these success stories to customers and stakeholders.”

Mr. Knutzon has been instrumental in shaping SCS’ groundbreaking service offerings for more than three decades. He provided program development and operational leadership for 10 years before leaving SCS to become the President and CEO of Farm Fresh Direct, LLC. He remained active on the SCS board of directors, and upon retirement from Farm Fresh, rejoined the SCS team in 2016 as a Vice President. Earlier in his career, Mr. Knutzon worked in the agricultural chemical business, then later co-founded Valley Fresh Distributing, the first major organic vegetable grower/shipper in the United States.

“Jim has been there every step of the way as SCS has innovated time and time again to support healthy, environmentally, and ethically sound practices,” said Stanley P. Rhodes, SCS Founder and President.

SCS’ food and agriculture division has been responding to industry needs ever since the company was launched in 1984. From pesticide residue analysis and organic certification, it rapidly branched into food safety auditing and certification, sustainability certification, supply chain management, ethical sourcing, non-GMO verification, and more. Today’s services span a wide spectrum of food, horticulture and floriculture products as well as fiber and energy crops. SCS provides supply chain auditing services for major brands, as well as for leading certification schemes such as Fair Trade USA and Equitable Food Initiative. In addition, SCS specializes in life cycle assessment, carbon footprinting and carbon offsets, and water stewardship, all of which are now increasingly important in the food and agriculture realm.

About SCS Global Services (www.scsglobalservices.com)

SCS Global Services has provided global leadership in third-party safety and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for three decades. Its programs span a wide range of industries, recognizing achievements in food and agriculture, green building, product manufacturing, forestry, climate, and more. SCS is a California Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.

For more information about SCS Food and Agriculture, contact:
Jim Knutzon, Vice President – [email protected] or +1.719.588.0380
Bernadette Goldstein, Director of Sales and Marketing – [email protected] or +1.510.963.1212