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Pure Flavor®’s Growth Prompts Leadership Team Addition
Pure Flavor®’s Growth Prompts Leadership Team Addition
Leamington, ON (July 19th, 2017) – Building on consistent year over year growth, greenhouse grower & marketer Pure Flavor® announced the addition of Chris Veillon as Chief Marketing Officer to the company’s executive leadership team.
“As we continue to grow our retail & foodservice business, we needed to strategically evolve our marketing direction to support our premium line of greenhouse vegetables. In adding Chris to our executive team, we have added a seasoned strategic marketer who not only understands the industry but has been successful in building consumer facing brands over the last 20 years “, said Jamie Moracci, President.
Under the Pure Flavor® brand, the company grows & markets an extensive variety of greenhouse tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, eggplant, and living lettuce that is grown in Canada, USA, and Mexico. Founded in 2003, Pure Flavor® has experienced significant growth year over year with its expanding product offering.
“This is a fantastic career opportunity, I am very excited to join the leadership team at Pure Flavor®. The company culture and growth opportunity is unique which made it even more of a reason to join the Pure Flavor® team “, said Chris Veillon. “The product base is vast and expanding year after year to meet retail demand, I’m very excited to work with the team to strengthen the Pure Flavor® brand position “, commented Chris. As Chief Marketing Officer, Veillon will be responsible for all initiatives related to conceptualizing and implementing market strategy while providing strategic direction for promotion & advertising.
With the addition of Veillon as Chief Marketing Officer, the company also promoted Matt Mastronardi to Executive Vice-President. Mastronardi is one of the founding partners of Pure Flavor® and is part of the sales team.
“These are exciting times for our company. The strategic partnerships we have built with our growers, retail, and foodservice partners, is allowing us to continually extend our reach across North America”, said Matt Mastronardi. Mastronardi, Jamie Moracci, and Jeff Moracci, Pure Flavor’s CFO founded Pure Flavor® in 2003. With its corporate headquarters in Leamington, ON the company now operates in 3 countries with multiple distribution center locations providing year-round production.
Pure Flavor® will be exhibiting at the upcoming PMA Foodservice Trade Show in Monterrey, CA July 30. Stop by Booth #1106 to see Pure Flavor’s product line.
To learn more about Pure Flavor®, please visit Pure-Flavor.com
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About Pure Flavor® - Pure Flavor® is a privately held greenhouse vegetable company providing year-round production of premium vegetables to retail & foodservice partners throughout North America.
SOURCE: Jamie Moracci | Jamie@pure-flavor.com
President | Pure Flavor®
T: 519 326 8444
Chris Veillon
Chief Marketing Officer
Pure Hothouse Foods Inc.
PO Box 607, Leamington, ON N8H 3X4
p: 519.326.8444 | p: 866.326.8444 | m: 519.878.1905 | f: 519.326.7960
Hydroponic Farm Puts Down Roots In Springfield's Gasoline Alley
The indoor farm, located in a section of the city known as Gasoline Alley because of the huge fuel storage tanks that dot the landscape, is one of several businesses operating out of a quirky set of buildings owned and managed by entrepreneur Joseph Sibilia.
Hydroponic Farm Puts Down Roots In Springfield's Gasoline Alley
Updated on July 5, 2017 at 7:34 AMPosted on July 5, 2017 at 7:33 AM
Gallery: Urban Artisan Farm
BY CAROLYN ROBBINS | crobbins163@gmail.com
Special to The Republican | SPRINGFIELD
Call it an island in a food desert.
That's how former chef Tony Renzulli and business partner Jack Wysocki think of their new business, Urban Artisan Farm, which uses hydroponic technology to produce 100 heads of lettuce a week in a greenhouse complex at 250 Albany St.
The indoor farm, located in a section of the city known as Gasoline Alley because of the huge fuel storage tanks that dot the landscape, is one of several businesses operating out of a quirky set of buildings owned and managed by entrepreneur Joseph Sibilia.
It may seem an unlikely spot for a hydroponic farm. But for Renzulli, whose vision is to bring fresh produce to low-income neighborhoods year-round, it's perfect. There aren't many places in the Armory-Liberty Street neighborhood where residents have easy access to fresh vegetables, he said.
Eventually, Renzulli hopes to expand the hydroponic concept to abandoned structures throughout the city with the goal of providing fresh produce and jobs to residents of low-income neighborhoods.
Wellspring Harvest breaks ground for greenhouse
The 2-acre facility means that the old Chapman Valve site in Indian Orchard is being reused.
For now, Renzulli and Wysocki are content to bring the farm's weekly yield of fresh greens to local farmer's markets, including a downtown location. They offer red and green Bibb lettuce and microgreens, which are immature but edible leaves.
They are currently building new structures at Gasoline Alley to expandtheir growing capacity. They also plan to add the cultivation of cucumbers and tomatoes to their year-round operation.
Wellspring Harvest Breaks Ground For Greenhouse In Springfield
By fall, between five and nine currently unemployed people will be working in a new hydroponic greenhouse growing salad greens for major local institutions like Baystate Medical Center, the public schools and Big Y supermarket.
Wellspring Harvest Breaks Ground For Greenhouse In Springfield
Updated on June 8, 2017 at 4:33 PMPosted on June 8, 2017 at 4:20 PM
Gallery: Wellspring Cooperative Corporation to build commercial greenhouse in Springfield
BY JIM KINNEY | jkinney@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD -- By fall, between five and nine currently unemployed people will be working in a new hydroponic greenhouse growing salad greens for major local institutions like Baystate Medical Center, the public schools and Big Y supermarket.
That's the plan from Wellspring Harvest, which broke ground Thursday at the former Chapman Valve site at 121 Pinevale St. in Indian Orchard.
"This will be a great place to go grow food. This will be a great place to grow people," said greenhouse manager and grower Stephen Hilyard.
Wellspring Harvest plans to grow at Indian Orchard greenhouse in Springfield by fall
The 2-acre project continues the process of putting the old factory property back to productive use, said Kevin Kennedy, city chief development officer.
Once one of the country's largest manufacturers of valves and fire hydrants, Chapman Valve had nearly 3,500 employees in the 1940s. The company supplied valves to the Manhattan Project, which built the first atomic bomb, and later machined uranium rods into slugs for reactor fuel at Brookhaven National Laboratory. In 1949, Chapman may have also conducted rolling operations on uranium metal.
Chapman Valve closed in 1986 when there were fewer than 100 employees.
An April 2005 federal study revealed that "significant" radioactive contamination remained at the plant at Pineville and Goodwin streets in Indian Orchard through the early 1990s.
Wellspring buying part of Chapman site for greenhouse
Wellspring is raising $900,000 for the project and has an event planned for investors Sept. 7.
Parts of the factory site, once 54 acres in size, were contaminated with radioactive waste that has since been cleaned up. Another part of the campus on Goodwin Street is the site of a 12-acre, 2.3-megawatt solar facility constructed by Western Massachusetts Electric Co., featuring 8,200 solar panels.
"I think it's amazing that we have been able to redevelop this site with 'green' uses," Kennedy said.
NatureFresh™ Farms Mobile Greenhouse Impacting Purchasing Decisions
NatureFresh™ Farms Mobile Greenhouse Impacting Purchasing Decisions
Leamington, ON (July 5th, 2017) – The heat of the summer is settling in across the Midwest though this has not deterred NatureFresh™ Farms’ mobile greenhouse tour from missing a beat. Already nearly 50 events completed since mid-April, consumers continue to flock to #GreenInTheCity events to learn more about how greenhouse vegetables are grown.
“The mobile greenhouse has not only been a conversation starter but a difference maker in how we connect with our customers”, said Ray Wowryk, Director of Business Development.
The mobile Greenhouse Education Center (GEC) is a 38’ custom-built unit that is an exact snapshot of how NatureFresh™ Farms grows its vegetables in state of the art high tech greenhouses in Leamington, ON & Delta, OH. Equipped with fruit bearing plants and complimented by a live Bumblebee Eco-System, the GEC serves as an education resource to inform consumers about how greenhouse vegetables are grown.
“We care about the future of fresh and all that it entails; we need to collectively increase fresh produce consumption. NatureFresh™ can help do that with the GEC and by getting front and center with consumers, we share our story to help inform them of the value of greenhouse vegetables. Knowing who grows what you buy is important, understanding how its grown is just as important if not more”, commented Wowryk.
Supporting the GEC this summer are 5 college students who serve as NatureFresh™ Brand Ambassadors at each event. The team is responsible for event day operations and interacting with retail partners to ensure their customers have the best possible experience. With varied backgrounds ranging from agri-business to environmental science to marketing to biology, the team provides unique perspectives of the value of greenhouse grown vegetables.
“We are able to immediately impact consumers purchasing decisions at store level with the knowledge we share about how we grow greenhouse vegetables”, said Cole Burkholder, GEC Team Member & 3rd year Environmental Science Major from Ohio State University. Agriculture is nothing new to Burkholder whose family operates a farming operation of more than 500 acres of row crops in central Ohio. “The look on people’s faces when we explain the greenhouse growing process and they see the live plants with real fruit, it’s priceless, you kind of see that ‘a-ha’ moment in their eyes. We’ve even had customers show us their shopping carts when leaving to show us the tomatoes or bell peppers they have purchased because of our conversation. It’s a pretty good feeling!” commented Burkholder.
Now in it’s 3rd year, the #GreenInTheCity Tour has completed more than 200 events to date across eastern North America connecting with consumers at retail stores, summer camps, schools, and community fairs. The 2017 tour will continue on through early November wrapping up at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON November 12th.
To learn more about NatureFresh™ Farms and the #GreenInTheCity Tour, visit naturefresh.ca/GEC.
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About NatureFresh Farms™ -
NatureFresh Farms™ has grown to become one of the largest independent, vertically integrated greenhouse vegetable growers in North America. Growing in Leamington, ON and Delta, OH, NatureFresh™ Farms prides itself on exceptional flavor & quality. Family owned NatureFresh Farms™ ships Non-GMO greenhouse grown produce year-round to key retailers throughout North America.
SOURCE: Chris Veillon | chris@naturefresh.ca
Director of Marketing | NatureFresh™ Farms
South African Urban Agri Summit To Showcase Vertical Farming
South African Urban Agri Summit To Showcase Vertical Farming
International experts, regional authorities, investors and stakeholders from the agriculture sector will gather on September 7-8 in Johannesburg, South Africa for the inaugural Urban Agri Summit 2017. The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
Dr Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, Food Security Fellow with New Voices, The Aspen Institute and previously Mentor for Agriculture at the Clinton Global University Initiative (CGI U), said, "I believe it is about time Africa has the conversations about vertical farming and other innovative urban agriculture practices. With the urban population expected to rise for most of the African cities, there will be the need for innovative approaches to feed the urban population. I do believe that Africa’s farms have to start going vertical."
Various initiatives have already been undertaken by South Africa to spur innovation in its agriculture sector. Together with other Sub-Saharan African cities in Nigeria and Kenya, South African metropolises are following in the footsteps of many global cities to introduce sustainable urban indoor farming. Africa has unique opportunities for vertical farms and Controlled Environment Agriculture. Vertical farming (including its variations) is one of the most innovative approaches that can be tapped as part of an effort to grow fresh, healthy, nutritious and pesticide-free food for consumers.
Jana Jordaan, Sustainable Agriculture Analyst at GreenCape said: “We are very excited that the Urban Agri Summit will be taking place in Johannesburg this year. Our 2017 Agriculture Market Intelligence Report has shown that there are significant opportunities for farmers, investors and businesses in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the region. The Urban Agri Summit is a great platform where international experiences and ideas are shared, influencing opportunities and overcoming barriers to the growth of the CEA market. We believe the summit is a great opportunity to not only support the growth of the CEA market in South Africa, but also support South Africa’s transition to a more resilient green economy."
Highlights of the Summit include insightful presentations and engaging panel discussions by international organisations and experts from Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the USA, combined with a technology showcase.
This industry event is supported by the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) and by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
The AVF's Stephane Razzon said, "The event presents an opportunity for the African continent to be introduced with the most cutting-edge technologies in agriculture. Controlled Environment Agriculture, Vertical Farming and advanced greenhouse methods are bound to completely transform food systems in developing countries and developed countries alike. We at the AVF believe the global Vertical Farming market is now ready to make a notable impact on the agricultural sector in Africa. It will require from us all to be in the right place and in the right time, which is clearly at the Urban Agri Summit 2017.
For more information:
Jose Carpio
Tel: +65 6846 2366
www.magentaglobalevents.com
Publication |date:7/3/2017
Vertical Farming in Africa to Boost Growth at September Urban Agri Summit in Johannesburg
Vertical Farming in Africa to Boost Growth at September Urban Agri Summit in Johannesburg
The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
International experts, regional authorities, investors and stakeholders from the agriculture sector will gather on September 7-8 in Johannesburg, South Africa for the inaugural Urban Agri Summit 2017. The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
Dr Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, Food Security Fellow with New Voices, The Aspen Institute and previously Mentor for Agriculture at the Clinton Global University Initiative (CGI U), said, "I believe it is about time Africa has the conversations about vertical farming and other innovative urban agriculture practices. With the urban population expected to rise for most of the African cities, there will be the need for innovative approaches to feed the urban population. I do believe that Africa’s farms have to start going vertical."
Various initiatives have already been undertaken by South Africa to spur innovation in its agriculture sector. Together with other Sub-Saharan African cities in Nigeria and Kenya, South African metropolises are joining the footsteps of many global cities to introduce sustainable urban indoor farming. Africa has unique opportunities for vertical farms and Controlled Environment Agriculture. Vertical farming (including its variations) is one of the most innovative approaches that can be tapped as part of an effort to grow fresh, healthy, nutritious and pesticide-free food for consumers.
Jana Jordaan, Sustainable Agriculture Analyst at GreenCape said: “We are very excited that the Urban Agri Summit will be taking place in Johannesburg this year. Our 2017 Agriculture Market Intelligence Report has shown that there are significant opportunities for farmers, investors and businesses in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the region. The Urban Agri Summit is a great platform where international experiences and ideas are shared, influencing opportunities and overcoming barriers to the growth of the CEA market. We believe the summit is a great opportunity to not only support the growth of the CEA market in South Africa, but also support South Africa’s transition to a more resilient green economy."
Highlights of the Summit include insightful presentations and engaging panel discussions by international organisations and experts from Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the USA, combined with a technology showcase.
This industry event is supported by the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) and by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
The AVF's Stephane Razzon said, "The event holds an unprecedented opportunity for the African continent to be introduced with the most cutting-edge technologies in agriculture. Controlled Environment Agriculture, Vertical Farming and advanced greenhouse methods are bound to completely transform food systems in developing countries and developed countries alike. We at the AVF believe the global Vertical Farming market is now ready to make a notable impact on the agricultural sector in Africa. It will require from us all to be in the right place and in the right time, which is clearly at the Urban Agri Summit 2017.
Contact Info
Jose Carpio - Magenta Global (Singapore)
Block 53 Sims Place
#01-150
Singapore 380053
Phone: +6568462366
Website: http://www.magentaglobalevents.com/urban-agriculture-verticalfarming-cea-africa-summit/
Greenhouse Pioneer Featured in Canada's 150th Anniversary Celebrations
Greenhouse Pioneer Featured in Canada's 150th Anniversary Celebrations
Celebrating Canada’s 150th also includes celebrating the industry leaders which Canada is known for. This includes the booming greenhouse business in which Canada is a major player. Recently, the National Post, a national news source in Canada, featured a pioneer in the industry, Mastronardi Produce and the Mastronardi family, with anarticle titled “Canada 150: Hunger for tomatoes turns Canada into greenhouse superpower”.
CEO Paul Mastronardi was interviewed for the piece at the company’s test greenhouse in Kingsville, ON. This greenhouse, which houses over 500 tomato varieties, is the largest trial centre in North America. It’s the key to Mastronardi’s success which is based on innovation and flavor. As Mastronardi describes it, “It’s more of a research program. Flavor means repeat sales”.
Mastronardi also explains the evolution of greenhouse growing and his family’s deep history in the field which dates back four generations. His great grandfather, Armando Mastronardi, who immigrated to Canada in the 1920’s, started the family’s produce empire by wisely selecting the country’s southernmost spot which was perfect for farming. In the 1940s, his grandfather, Umberto, evolved this farming by bringing Dutch greenhouse technology to Canada allowing year round growing.
Mastronardi then describes how in the early 1980’s the family became modern farmers, getting out of the dirt and advancing the greenhouse industry by using modern technology and processes. This in turn, minimized environmental impacts while improving yields, working conditions, and overall flavor. The online video titled, “Tomato Zsar” features Mastronardi as he explains the process of modern greenhouse growing and the future of the industry.
“We’re very excited that Canada’s celebrating its 150th and that various media outlets, including the National Post, are highlighting key industries in which Canada plays a leadership role” said CEO Paul Mastronardi. “It’s especially satisfying to have the spotlight on the Canadian greenhouse industry and on the Mastronardi family who have been recognized as greenhouse pioneers. We thank the National Post for visiting our greenhouse facilities to better educate the public on this innovative and growing business.”
For more information:
Daniela Ferro
Tel: +1 519 326 1491
Mob: +1 519 990 6933
danielaf@sunsetgrown.com
sunsetgrown.com
Indoor Farming Plus Made in USA LED Grow Lights: Profile 1.7
Indoor Farming Plus Made in USA LED Grow Lights: Profile 1.7
Green Science and Technology
GREENandSAVE Staff | Posted on Wednesday 28th June 2017
This is one of the profiles in an ongoing series covering next generation agriculture. We are seeing an increased trend for indoor farming across the United States and around the world. This is a positive trend given that local farming reduces adverse CO2 emissions from moving food long distances. If you would like us to review and profile your company, just let us know! Contact Us.
Company Profile: City Bitty Farm
Here is a great example of an urban farm specializing in microgreens and tomatoes.
Here is some of the “About Us” content: City Bitty Farm is a 2-acre diversified urban farm in Kansas City, Missouri. We specialize in growing high-quality microgreens for grocers, restaurants, and special events in our custom-built Four Season Tools high tunnels. We also produce cherry and heirloom tomatoes along with a variety of other vegetables in our outdoor growing plots, as well as transplants for sale. We grow to order, using natural methods to produce the freshest, healthiest, and best tasting food possible.
Designed and built by Greg, greenhouses provide us with space to grow our microgreens, as well as our transplants in the spring. It has many innovative features, including a rainwater capture system, rolling benches, and a bench top hot-water heating system.
Here is the link to learn more: City Bitty Farm
To date, the cost of man made lighting has been a barrier for indoor agriculture. A new generation of LED lighting provides cost effective opportunities for farmers to deliver local produce. Warehouses and greenhouses are both viable structures for next generation agriculture. Here is one example of next generation made in USA LED grow light technology to help farmers: Commercial LED Grow Lights.
Wisconsin Fish Farming Sees Growth After Decade of Stagnation
Superior Fresh, a high tech fish farm and aquaponics facility, overlooks I-94 in the unincorporated town of Northfield. The company claims it will be able to produce 160,000 pounds of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout along with nearly 2 million pounds of leafy greens per year. Rich Kremer/WPR
Wisconsin Fish Farming Sees Growth After Decade of Stagnation
New Aquaculture Businesses Led By New Generation Of Farmers
Monday, June 26, 2017, 3:50pm | By Rich Kremer
Listen Download
Fish farming in Wisconsin has traditionally centered around raising bait and sport fish for the state's anglers. But after a 10-year lull, the state's aquaculture industry is seeing growth and new farms are raising fish destined for the dinner plate.
There are 2,500 registered fish farms in Wisconsin, but fewer than 350 raise fish as a business. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, sales from Wisconsin fish farms declined between 2005 and 2013.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point biology professor Chris Hartleb has tracked the state's aquaculture industry for years.
"For the past 10 years or so Wisconsin’s aquaculture industry has kind of been stagnant," Hartleb said. "It hasn’t really lost businesses, but it hasn’t gained any. I would say in the past three years there’s been this kind of resurgence in Wisconsin aquaculture, where not only are new businesses starting to open up but it’s younger generation people starting those businesses."
Superior Fresh
On a hill overlooking the unincorporated community of Northfield, just off Interstate-94 in Jackson County, a green metal building, two acres of Plexiglas and a red barn stand out in the surrounding sea of farm fields. This is the home of Superior Fresh, a multimillion dollar fish farm and aquaponic greenhouse capable of producing 160,000 pounds of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout and up to 2 million pounds of varietal, leaf lettuce per year.
It’s hailed as the first privately owned, indoor, Atlantic salmon farm in America. Currently, there is a combination off around 60,000 salmon and rainbow trout in their early life stages.
Superior Fresh COO Brandon Gottsacker said they hope to ramp up to 75,000 by next year.
Nearly everything these young fish experience is computer controlled. Gottsacker and his team are able to use water temperature and lighting to fool the Atlantic salmon into believing they’ve gone through a winter, which triggers the fish to transition from fresh to saltwater and put on the majority of its weight.
"Inside our building we can grow these fish a little bit quicker than outdoor farms because we give the fish an optimum environment to live in their entire life," Gottsacker said. "So, we avoid winters and super cold water that would slow fishes metabolism down and ultimately their growth."
With this level of control, Gottsacker claims Superior Fresh will be able to grow their fish a year or two faster than in the wild or traditional salmon farms that use net pens in the ocean.
But with nearly 100,000 fish in an indoor facility one would expect fish waste to be a liability. For an aquaponics facility like Superior Fresh it’s part of their business model.
Brunno Cerozi is in charge of recirculating water between the fish house and the 123,000-square-foot greenhouse next door.
Superior Fresh COO Brandon Gottsacker and production manager Brunno Cerozi in the greenhouse where they’re processing leaf lettuce, which gets its water and nutrients from the fish house next door. Photo courtesy of Superior Fresh
"So, we feed the fish. They will take the nutrients that they need to grow and all the nutrients that they don’t use we recycle through the plants," Cerozi said. "So, that in a conventional aquaculture system would be wasted, would be polluting the environment, would be released into our natural water bodies and would be causing major environmental problems."
Standing next to a series of long, shallow pools with floating mats covered with heads of romaine, red leaf and butter lettuce, head grower Adam Shinners said he can grow greens nearly twice as fast as in the field and in a fraction of the acreage.
"I definitely believe that this is the future. The amount of space we utilize here is so much less than traditional agriculture, and we can keep this production going year-round, which is definitely something that’s going to be needed, especially in northern hemispheres," Shinners said.
Changing Regulations
In an effort to spur the growth of more fish farming and aquaponics facilities such as Superior Fresh, state Sen.Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, sponsored a bill easing regulations for the state’s aquaculture industry.
He said under the previous law fish farms weren’t treated as favorably as traditional agriculture.
Tiffany claimed fish farms were subject to similar rules by both the state Department of Natural Resources and the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which drove up costs for producers.
"What we did was we wanted to streamline some of the regulatory functions, not change any environmental standards, but just streamline the process and really give greater opportunity for people in the aquaculture industry because there’s no reason we don’t have a more robust, growing aquaculture industry," Tiffany said.
Tiffany first introduced his aquaculture bill in 2016, but it got a cool reception and was opposed by a number of environmental groups. After being retooled the senator re-introduced the bill this year and it passed unanimously in the state Senate. But it was still opposed by groups including environmental law firm Midwest Environmental Advocates.
Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney Sarah Geers calls Tiffany’s bill, now signed into law, a giveaway of the state’s water resources to the aquaculture industry.
"There are concerns about the waste coming out of all those fish and adding to algae concerns, additional nutrients from any feed given to them," Geers said. "It also raises questions about when fish are brought in from elsewhere creating problems for invasive species and cutting off so much of the water supply from the stream that the native fish population might be threatened."
Whether Tiffany’s bill will spur an aquaculture revolution in Wisconsin remains to be seen, but for the team at Superior Fresh, there is excitement about the future.
If all goes well, Gottsacker said they would considering building a new operation 10 times the size of the facility in Northfield.
This story is part of a yearlong reporting project at WPR called State of Change: Water, Food, and the Future of Wisconsin. Find stories on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, The Ideas Network and online.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2017, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
Sensing Opportunity in Drought, Two Horticulture Classmates Launch Eco Conscious Aquaponics Farm
Sensing Opportunity in Drought, Two Horticulture Classmates Launch Eco Conscious Aquaponics Farm
June 21, 2017 | Pamela Ellgen
The Eco Conscious Aquaponics team in their greenhouse in Goleta, CA. Owners Julian Cantando and Clayton Garland (pictured center left and center right) decided to launch the farm at the height of the California drought. Photo credit: Pamela Ellgen.
In 2016, at the height of the California drought, Julian Cantando and Clayton Garland envisioned a more sustainable farming model than traditional soil-based agriculture, which has always thrived in California.
“Last year was the seventh year of the drought, the lake was down, and the threat of not having water was real, at least for other farmers who aren’t on a well. It was kind of a bleak situation,” Cantando says.
He and Garland were classmates in the Horticulture Program at Santa Barbara City College and often discussed going into business together.
“We had always been talking after class about doing something in the realm of sustainable agriculture, but we didn’t really know what we wanted to do,” he says. “The opportunity presented itself and we jumped on it.”
After graduation, the pair rented a greenhouse at The Orchid Ranch perched on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, purchased pre-owned equipment for an aquaponics operation, and opened Eco Conscious Aquaponics. They grow lettuces, microgreens, and vegetables, including watercress, sorrel, celery, fennel, and bok choy. They also have some soil-based plants in the greenhouse, including opuntia (known as prickly pear cactus in the culinary world), cape goose berry, and miracle berry.
“We get a lot of feedback that our produce has a better flavor profile because it gets all the water that it needs and all of the nutrition that it needs,” Cantando says. “Our system is 100% irrigation, which means the plant roots are sitting in water. They never get stressed out, so it’s a really tender, beautiful plant.”
Eco Conscious Aquaponics plants its seeds in coconut fiber, a sustainable byproduct of the coconut industry. The inert medium retains water and has high porosity, like a sponge, while also holding air even when fully saturated. Coconut fiber also has an ideal pH and is inhospitable to fungal growth.
Unlike other aquaponic operations that grow and harvest fish for food, Eco Conscious Aquaponics uses long-lived fish such as catfish, koi, and goldfish, which will not be harvested and exist only to supply nutrients to the plants.
It is an entirely organic operation and pest management is handled with marigold plants to deter insects and yellow sticky tape to snare flies.
The Eco-Conscious Aquaponics founders are young; Cantando is 23 and Garland is 30 and the farm is entirely self-funded. Both founders hold off-farm jobs to pay the bills.
Nevertheless, the farm is completely self-sufficient and generates around $5,000 in monthly revenue, with up to $3000 in monthly expenses. They reinvest 20 percent of profits back into the business.
As with any startup, getting the word out about their product was an early hurdle. They went door to door connecting with local restaurants in Santa Barbara and offering samples to chefs. They also began selling to farmer’s markets in Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez. Staying diligent and consistent was the key to getting clients. Delivering freshly harvested, delicious, consistent produce has been the key to keeping clients.
“It’s as fresh as it gets,” Cantando says. And, they have had terrific responses from local chefs. “That’s why we are still here.”
He acknowledges that operating in Santa Barbara where people are environmentally conscious and can afford to care about what’s on their plate is crucial to their success.
In the future, Eco Conscious Aquaponics hopes to expand their operation to additional locations, diversify what they grow, and possibly pursue soil-based agriculture. “I don’t [see] anything wrong with growing in soil as long as the water is available and it’s a sustainable practice,” Cantando says.
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General information on aquaponics: Aquaponics uses up to 90 percent less water than soil-based operations, making it especially viable in drought-prone areas. It is a system of aquaculture in which farmed fish supply nutrients for hydroponic plants, which act as a biofilter for the water. Just as important, plants receive adequate hydration for superior flavor. Additionally, it is a closed-loop system with no fertilizer runoff.
City Roots Urban Farm Becomes Hub For Eat Local Movement In The Midlands
City Roots Urban Farm Becomes Hub For Eat Local Movement In The Midlands
- By Stephanie Burt Special to The Post and Courier
- Jun 18, 2017
Eric McClam at the family's City Roots urban farm in Columbia.
COLUMBIA — In 2009, when Robbie McClam and his son, Eric, started City Roots Farm, they usually had to follow an introduction by explaining that the urban property was out by the Columbia Municipal Airport. These days, there is rarely any follow-up reference needed.
City Roots has expanded into a hub of the local food movement in the capital city, providing not only fresh veggies to the chefs and farmers market shoppers in the region, but microgreens to the Southeast, a CSA for local residents, an event venue, and even a children’s day camp this summer. And they are not stopping there.
Martha and Eric McClam hold daughter, Tessa, at City Roots. She is growing up around the farm, and so are 3,000 to 4,000 children who visit each year through Richland County schools.
“Columbia is a completely different place from when I left in 2004 to when I returned in 2009,” says Eric McClam, who heads the operation that employs 20 staff members and five interns. “The arts scene and the food scene were really beginning to be intertwined, and there was a general awareness of sustainability that made us excited.”
So when McClam knocked on the kitchen door of Kristian Niemi, who was then cooking at Rosso Trattoria, to gauge the chef's interest in purchasing local products, Niemi responded with an enthusiastic yes, especially if the consistency and quality was up to high-end restaurant standards.
Thus, the McClam family had their assignment and went to work, creating a diverse farm on 3 acres that in 2018 will reach an expanded 40 acres (including land leased elsewhere in Richland County). Approximately 30 restaurants in the Columbia area use City Roots produce, including Niemi’s current flagship, Bourbon. That’s not counting the chefs outside the immediate region who have access to the products through distributors. Although City Roots produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables, from blueberries to oyster mushrooms to tomatoes and even cut flowers, its main crop is microgreens.
A view of one of the greenhouse tunnels where microgreens are grown.
“We grow 20 varieties of microgreens that are in 32 Whole Foods Markets in the Southeast, Growfood Carolina food hub in Charleston, various farmers markets we participate in, and even on Carnival Cruise Ships,” McClam explains. The greens are grown primarily in five high tunnels on the farm, and the fast-growing specialty crop provides a stable base for the farm, which allows for creativity and experimentation.
For example, in 2015, the farm installed a tilapia pond system to begin aquaponic farming on site, and after working with that for a year or so, is now transforming that pond into more of a demonstration pond for schoolchildren. They didn’t bank all their efforts on the tilapia venture being successful, so as a agribusiness, they were able to redirect efforts elsewhere. It's a nimbleness that is often lacking for single-crop farms.
Microgreens growing at City Roots farm, which has become a major supplier of the leafy produce in the Southeast.
It also allows them to take chances and have vision for the space as a unique entity beyond just crops and harvest.
“I just walked up to Eric at the farmers market one day and said, ‘I want to have a dinner on your farm,’” says Vanessa Driscoll Bialobreski, a Columbia native, event planner and public relations professional who had recently moved back to the city and was looking to get involved in the local community.
City Roots said yes, and from there, things "just blew up,” Bialobreski says. Over the past six years, at least 13,000 tickets have been sold to more than 200 events at the farm.
Bialobreski is now the managing partner for the Farm to Table Event Company, which runs those events and counts Robbie McClam and Niemi as partners as well. It has created a symbiotic relationship that continues to help all parties while at the same time creating events for the city, including a recent sold-out James Beard Foundation dinner and a Mardi Gras Festival. “It’s great for us to get involved in the community as a team and bridge that farm-to-table gap,” Bialobreski says.
City Roots has become a hub for the community, not only at farmers markets and wholesale to local chefs, but also has a gathering space for a growing number of local food-centric events.
“City Roots is such an important part of the overall food culture that is helping to put Columbia on the map as a destination,” says Kelly Barbrey, vice president of sales and marketing at Experience Columbia SC. “Many of our local restaurants are using their produce, microgreens and flowers, all of which are grown right here in the heart of the city, and local residents and out-of-towners love coming to unique events held at City Roots, like the Rosé Festival and Tasty Tomato Festival, to feel connected to the energy and vitality of our community.”
Beyond the festive events, the up to 4,000 schoolchildren who visit each year, the first annual summer day camp, and the locals who shop in the farm store, City Roots is now working to bring even more people to the farm through canning and pickling. At the moment, staff is working on building out a kitchen that will meet DHEC approval. Not only will it help the farm preserve produce that can be another specialty product, but the kitchen can be a space where people can come to learn the skills of pickling and preserving.
With the rise of the collaboration between Farm to Table Event Co. and City Roots, the farm is serving the community in multiple ways, including through special events.
It seems there’s always something “cooking” at City Roots, from the Midlands farms database they are building and sharing for area chefs to the consideration of produce being included in Blue Apron. Eric McClam and his staff are not only willing to consider new ways of bringing local produce to consumers, but are creating a more stable and sustainable regional culture through that produce.
“When we started, we were the only show in town so to speak when it came to buying local produce,” McClam says. “Now local produce, or at least the consideration, is part of people’s vocabulary. We are happy to be right at the time when Columbia caught the local food craze.”
Clariant Ups R&D Support for Agriculture
Clariant Ups R&D Support for Agriculture
KELLY MARSHALL JUNE 23, 2017 LEAVE A COMMENT
Clariant is excited to announce their new greenhouse at Clariant Innovation Center (CIC) opened earlier this week. The state-of-the-art greenhouse will offer R&D for crop protection and managment, along with yield-enhancement solutions.
The 400sqm greenhouse offers smart simulation of environmental conditions such as humidity, light, rainfall and temperature, creating a proper climate for testing to supplement Clariant’s existing laboratory testing facilities at the CIC. The aim is to reduce development time and speed-to- market for advances in the niche growth areas of Plant Growth Regulators, Foliar Fertilizers and Bio-herbicides. These have been identified as focus areas to Clariant for successfully addressing current customer-specific needs and future global food demands.
“The new Crop Solutions greenhouse creates the perfect environment for fostering joint development in the areas we see as having most potential for delivering sustainable crop protection and, in the bigger picture, addressing the world’s increasing nutrition requirements,” said Britta Fünfstück, Member of Clariant’s Executive Committee. “It’s a level of support that sets us apart within our industry and we are excited at the prospect of contributing even more closely to the innovations of tomorrow.”
The new facility reinforces Clariant’s focus on sustainability and puts the company in a stronger position to provide answers going forward. Keep watching for unique solutions to come.
UAE-based Hydroponics Startup Looks To Raise $4.5 Million To Farm In The Desert
UAE-based Hydroponics Startup Looks To Raise $4.5 Million To Farm In The Desert
June 19, 2017
Pure Harvest has acquired a 3.3-hectare farm site in Nahel, UAE where it intends to establish the nation’s first commercial-scale greenhouse to produce tomatoes.
Jojo Puthuparampil | Contributor
Pure Harvest Smart Farms, a UAE-based agri-tech startup in the field of hydroponics, will soon complete a $4.5 million funding in a seed round to finance its 3.3-hectare farm site in Nahel, it said in a statement.
The firm raised roughly 60% of the round in addition to securing investments from its board, for which it has rejigged the board and made new appointments.
Pure Harvest expects the new appointments to help with technology selection, operational execution, legal structuring, corporate development and strategy as it expands its footprint across the Middle East, it said.
Pure Harvest, co-founded by Sky Kurtz, a former private equity investor based in Silicon Valley, and his Emirati business partner Mahmoud Adi, plans to bring the latest hydroponics farming techniques to the UAE.
Hydroponics farming is the process of growing plants in solutions, rather than soil, allowing for the careful control of the nutrients the plants receive.
Pure Harvest intends to cultivate high-value crops in modern glasshouses using a semi-closed climate controlled growing system that is built to overcome the challenges of year-round production in the littoral areas of the GCC region.
At the 3.3-hectare farm site in Nahel, the firm intends to establish the nation’s first commercial-scale greenhouse to produce tomatoes.
In October, Pure Harvest raised $1.1 million from Abu Dhabi-based Shorooq Investments.
The company’s solution uses over-pressure climate control technology with a hybrid evaporative and mechanical cooling system to maintain optimal indoor climate conditions.
In a market where existing commercial farms are forced to cease vegetable production during the summer period lasting June-October, the startup claims to offer technology that will deliver a tangible food security solution.
Pure Harvest claims to substitute high cost, air-freighted, seasonal imports and instead supply premium quality produce directly to retailers, airlines and hospitality food distributors.
The technology, it says, enables water conservation and carbon dioxide dosing, achieving high productivity for a variety of crops including tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers, eggplants, and strawberries.
It plans to grow crops year-round in a “natural substrate”. The substrate—or the material chosen by Pure Harvest—will be derived from coconut shavings. It will not use pesticides.
Internet-connected sensors will monitor crops and precision-feed individual plants according to need, while the air will be dosed with CO2 to make the plants grow well.
Other hydroponic farms in the UAE include Elite Agro and Emirates Hydroponics.
NatureFresh™ Farms Receives Top Honors For TOMZ®, OntarioRed™, and Yellow Bell Peppers at Greenhouse Vegetable Awards
NatureFresh™ Farms Receives Top Honors For TOMZ®, OntarioRed™, and Yellow Bell Peppers at Greenhouse Vegetable Awards
Leamington, ON (June 19th, 2017) – Long known as the Tomato Capital of Canada, Leamington, Ontario once again hosted its annual Greenhouse Vegetable Awards this past weekend. Showcasing the best greenhouse vegetables from leading North American growers, family owned NatureFresh™ Farms took home many top honors including the coveted ‘Best Overall Tomato’.
“Receiving these awards is more than just about showcasing the best that we grow, it is about our commitment to pushing the category in the right direction in delivering consistent flavor across the category”, commented Peter Quiring, Owner & President. “The TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato is a game changer; super sweet, bite-sized, crunchy, with the perfect balance of acidity, the real winners are the consumers who can enjoy this premium snacking tomato year-round, it’s hands down our grower’s choice”, said Quiring.
NatureFresh™ Farms took top honors in the following categories:
- Best Overall Tomato; TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato
- Best Bite Sized Tomatoes; TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato
- Best Cocktail Tomato; TOMZ® Sweet Red Cocktail Tomato
- Best Beefsteak Tomato; OntarioRed™ Red Beefsteak Tomato
- Best Yellow Bell Pepper
This is the second year in a row that NatureFresh™ Farms has won the Best Cocktail Tomato Award as well as the Best Yellow Bell Pepper Award, which is a fantastic accomplishment considering strong competition from other varieties in the market place.
“Our retail customers love our TOMZ® Snacking Tomato program because of the unique and flavorful varieties we grow,” said Matt Quiring, Executive Retail Accounts Manager. “It’s not just about selecting the right seed to grow, it is about the growing environment, the plant nutrition, and the grow to market strategy we employ year-round from our farms to ensure we deliver the best we grow, regardless of the season. Our TOMZ® Red Cherry is the best snacking tomato available on the market, hence why it won the Best Overall Tomato Award”, said Quiring.
NatureFresh™’s TOMZ® Snacking Tomatoes were a finalist for Best New Vegetable Award at the United Fresh Convention in Chicago recently.
“We trial more than 300+ different varieties each year to ensure we are always delivering the most flavorful varieties available worldwide”, said Benny Teichroeb, Trial Program Coordinator. NatureFresh™ Farms conducts its product research & development in its 2.5 acre Trial Greenhouse & Discovery Center in Leamington.
All funds raised from the Greenhouse Competitions go to R.E.A.CH. International. This local charity has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to build schools & clinics, drill water wells, and sponsor and care for impoverished children in Uganda, Africa.
To learn more about NatureFresh™ Farms, visit NatureFresh.ca.
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About NatureFresh Farms™ -
NatureFresh Farms™ has grown to become one of the largest independent, vertically integrated greenhouse vegetable growers in North America. Growing in Leamington, ON and Delta, OH, NatureFresh™ Farms prides itself on exceptional flavor & quality. Family owned NatureFresh Farms™ ships Non-GMO greenhouse grown produce year-round to key retailers throughout North America.
SOURCE: Chris Veillon | chris@naturefresh.ca
Director of Marketing | NatureFresh™ Farms
Indoor Farming Plus Made In USA LED Grow Lights: Profile 1.
Indoor Farming Plus Made In USA LED Grow Lights: Profile 1.4
GREENandSAVE Staff | Posted on Thursday 15th June 2017
This is one of the profiles in an ongoing series covering next generation agriculture. We are seeing an increased trend for indoor farming across the United States and around the world. This is a positive trend given that local farming reduces adverse CO2 emissions from moving food long distances. If you would like us to review and profile your company, just let us know! Contact Us.
Company Profile: Greensgrow Farms
Greensgrow Farms is an urban farm centered around serving its Philadelphia community.
Here is some of the “About Us” content:
Greensgrow is a nationally recognized leader in urban farming and is open to the public year round. Green roof on a composting toilet, honey bee hives atop tool shed, Milkshake the pig, an abandoned house turned office space, an unused church kitchen turned small food business incubator and a deck made from old pallets and water bottles. A laundry list of crazy ideas? Yes. And a day in the life of Greensgrow.
Greensgrow is an Idea Farm that has given birth to our CSA, the Community Kitchen, Greensgrow West and other projects resulting in permanent jobs and sustainable income. One thing that is for certain. There is no typical day at Greensgrow. We have never accepted the idea that “that’s just the way things are”. Instead we believe that’s there’s a way things could be and that we can make them happen if we’re willing to work hard enough, laugh loud enough and be open enough to learn from our mistakes.
We borrow ideas, make them uniquely our own and happily share them with you. Rethinking land, abandoned space, ideas, oil barrels, PVC, tools and trash is what we do. Veggie waste composts into fertilizer, a shipping container grew into a garden shop and rain gutters find a life as a farm. Many things we own, from our 6000 square foot greenhouse to our mobile market trucks, have come from a previous owner. Because we don’t over capitalized on equipment we have been free to change things up. Everything we buy goes through a stringent cost benefit analysis to prove that it can be used at an optimal level. Some people call this cheap, we call it smart.
Here is the link to learn more: http://www.greensgrow.org/.
To date, the cost of man made lighting has been a barrier for indoor agriculture. A new generation of LED lighting provides cost effective opportunities for farmers to deliver local produce. Warehouses and greenhouses are both viable structures for next generation agriculture. Here is one example of next generation made in USA LED grow light technology to help farmers: Commercial LED Grow Lights.
The Next Big Thing: Hydroponic and Aquaponic Greenhouse Farming
Greenhouse farming is expanding at a rapid rate, using hydroponic and aquaponic methods to grow produce. Many believe it's the next big thing in farming.
Wednesday, June 14th 2017 - by Nathan Edwards
The Next Big Thing: Hydroponic and Aquaponic Greenhouse Farming
MIAMI VALLEY, Ohio (WKEF/WRGT) - Greenhouse farming is expanding at a rapid rate, using hydroponic and aquaponic methods to grow produce.
Many believe it's the next big thing in farming.
Endless rows of carefully grown tomatoes are nurtured at golden fresh farms in Wapakoneta.
"You can see the consistency with the quality and size," VP Paul Mastronardi points out.
99 percent of the tomatoes in this massive greenhouse make it to the grocery store. That's 16 million pounds, enough to give everyone in Ohio and Kentucky a package of tomatoes.
"We are maximizing our yield per square meter," Mastronardi said.
What's the secret? Mastronardi said hydroponic farming.
Water is coursing through the pipes, keeping plants alive
"With the greenhouse environment we have more control over outside factors which helps us," Mastronardi said.
Famers monitor bees living near the plants, use gas to heat the floor on cold days and create sun light when there isn't any.
"One of the major benefits of growing in a greenhouse structure is that the consistency week in and week out is there," Mastronardi said.
The industry is rapidly expanding. In Wilmington, Bright Farms is planning a 10-million-dollar greenhouse, adding 30 jobs.
The hydroponic farm will grow lettuce, tomatoes, herbs and more.
Clinton County Commissioner Kerry Steed said they'll be the source of fresh produce for a hundred-mile radius.
"We're talking Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus regions in regard to fresh produce," Steed said.
A 2014 USDA study said Ohio already has more than 50 indoor farms. That number is growing.
On a much smaller scale at Oasis Aqua Farm in Beavercreek, Kimball Osborne and his wife Stephanie grow 20 different crops.
"The first thing that you'll see when you look around is there's no dirt," Osborne said.
This is considered aquaponic farming, where fish help the plants thrive.
"We feed the fish and the fish take care of the fertilizer and the plants in turn send the water back to the fish," Osborne said.
They create a sustainable ecosystem. In these tubs herbs and vegetables grow 30 percent faster than a traditional farm.
"I have everything in this greenhouse that I need other than the sun, so as long as the sun doesn't go away I should be good," Osborne said.
The Osborne’s plan to expand as the demand grows, selling both produce and fish directly to locals.
At Golden Fresh Farms, their tomatoes are already sold in most major grocery stores.
Now they're testing peppers, wanting to eventually add 80 acres to their facility.
"The future of the greenhouse industry in the United States is about to take off in the next 5 years," Mastronardi said.
He believes this will replace traditional farming, due to its efficiency, making it the next big thing.
Philips Lighting Horticulture LED Solutions Adds Horticoop Scandinavia A/S to its Partner Network
Philips Lighting Horticulture LED Solutions Adds Horticoop Scandinavia A/S to its Partner Network
Eindhoven, The Netherlands – Philips Lighting (Euronext Amsterdam ticker: LIGHT), a global leader in lighting, has signed a partnership agreement with Horticoop Scandinavia A/S, a specialist supplier of technologies for greenhouse products and services to professional growers in Denmark. This partnership strengthens the offering of Philips Lighting Horticulture LED Solutions to meet the growing demand for LED lighting in Scandinavia.
“Our decision to partner with Horticoop Scandinavia A/S is made after we recently completed our first project in Denmark for Queen Flowers, a high quality producer and breeder of Kalanchoe,” explained Udo van Slooten, Managing Director of Philips Lighting Horticulture LED Solutions. “The market has good potential, especially in segments for potted plants and high wire crops. With potted plant growers, we can build on our experience completing numerous LED projects in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia There is a growing demand for LED lighting in this segment because it offers benefits such as radically higher propagation rates, faster rooting, lower energy costs and a rapid return on investment. As for high wire crops we have seen a long history of positive results already, like higher yields and better heat management resulting in more control over the crop.”
This latest partnership brings together Horticoop Scandinavia’s experience in selling and installing LED lighting at some of the largest Danish greenhouses with Philips Lighting`s innovative greenhouse lighting technologies. Together, the partners plan to expand the base of LED installations in Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia.
For further information, please contact:
Daniela Damoiseaux, Global Marcom Manager Horticulture
Philips Horticultural LED Lighting, Nederland
E-mail: daniela.damoiseaux@philips.com
www.philips.com/horti
About Philips Lighting
Philips Lighting (Euronext Amsterdam ticker: LIGHT), a global leader in lighting products, systems and services, delivers innovations that unlock business value, providing rich user experiences that help improve lives. Serving professional and consumer markets, we lead the industry in leveraging the Internet of Things to transform homes, buildings and urban spaces. With 2016 sales of EUR 7.1 billion, we have approximately 34,000 employees in over 70 countries. News from Philips Lighting is located at http://www.newsroom.lighting.philips.com and on Twitter via @LightingPress.
About Horticoop Scandinavia A/S
Horticoop Scandinavia A/S supplies goods and equipment for operating greenhouses, nurseries and open field growing. The company is recognized as the preferred one-stop-shop for many Danish companies in the horticulture industry. Horticoop Scandinavia A/S has a great deal of experience in selling and installing assimilation light and has carried out projects for many of the biggest Danish greenhouses. In the future Horticoop Scandinavia A/S aims to further improve its services to its many clients and expand into other markets throughout Scandinavia.
China: The Biggest Tomato Plantation in Asia is Being Built in Beijing
Beijing Hongfu International Agriculture Ltd. has invested around 1.5 billion yuan in a large tomato plantation with a total area of 850,000 acres. After completion, it'll become the largest in Asia. A 50,000 square metre greenhouse, which was planted with tomatoes only 70 days ago is already producing a crop.
China: The Biggest Tomato Plantation in Asia is Being Built in Beijing
Beijing Hongfu International Agriculture Ltd. has invested around 1.5 billion yuan in a large tomato plantation with a total area of 850,000 acres. After completion, it'll become the largest in Asia. A 50,000 square metre greenhouse, which was planted with tomatoes only 70 days ago is already producing a crop.
Technicians checking the beehive in the intelligent greenhouse and observing the pollination with the help of advanced controlling systems
According to the technicians from Hongfu there are seven systems in the greenhouse: a computer controlled system, a water and fertilizer unification system, a CO2 recycling system, an automated roof cleaning system, a double-layer sun protection shutter control system, an automated fogging and cooling system and an air circulation system. There are also multiple sensors installed all over the greenhouse connected to the computer terminal at the control room.
Smart greenhouse
This smart greenhouse system was imported from the Netherlands. Hongfu has also reached an agreement with Levarht, a well-known produce purchaser with an 84 year history, to sell its products in Eastern Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore and its honey tomatoes in Australia. In the meantime, Hongfu will develop the domestic market via a membership policy and introduce its organic products to consumers by various promotional activities including seminars and free testing.
Mastronardi Produce Acquires Backyard Farms
Mastronardi Produce Acquires Backyard Farms
Mastronardi Produce announced that it has acquired Backyard Farms, a large grower of year-round greenhouse-grown tomatoes in New England. The Backyard Farms brand name will be retained and continue to represent high-quality locally grown produce, and greenhouse operations in Madison, Maine will continue uninterrupted, as they have over the past decade.
"Together, Mastronardi and Backyard Farms will supply flavorful world-class, non-GMO verified tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to the top food retailers in North America. The combined company will be better positioned to serve the underrepresented Northeastern region of the United States, where retailers focus on meeting consumer demand for locally grown, fresh produce", the company said in a news release.
The addition of Backyard Farms will increase Mastronardi’s internal greenhouse network to six locations across North America, and will increase the combined company’s headcount to approximately 3,000 employees. In total, Mastronardi produces and delivers fresh, locally grown produce to retailers from more than 4,000 productive acres of growing capacity.
“We have long been impressed with Backyard Farms’ commitment to fresh, high-quality tomatoes,” said Paul Mastronardi, President and CEO and the fourth generation family member to lead Mastronardi Produce. “Backyard Farms not only is a growing, customer-focused tomato grower with a strong and well-known presence in the Northeastern United States, but it also shares the same community-centric ethos that drives Mastronardi. Being a family-operated business, we have long prioritized our local communities and a ‘fresh from the farm’ commitment to our customers that we believe are critically important to our success.”
Mr. Mastronardi continued, “With Backyard Farms’ complementary capabilities, loyal and passionate customer base, growing footprint and enthusiasm for premium, vine-ripe tomatoes, we are excited for what our future holds together. We look forward to working alongside Stuart Jablon and his talented team as we continue serving customers the great produce they have come to expect from the familiar SUNSET® and Backyard Farms brands.”
Founded 10 years ago, Backyard Farms operates two greenhouses totaling 42-acres in Madison, Maine, from which it produces and delivers delicious, fresh tomatoes to the Northeastern United States year-round. Backyard Farms’ high-quality produce – tomatoes on the vine, cocktail tomatoes and beefsteak tomatoes – appears on the shelves of grocery stores from Maine to Maryland. Backyard Farms values freshness and quality, and is a strong advocate of supporting local communities.
“We are excited to be taking our business to its next level of operations,” said Stuart Jablon, who will continue to lead Backyard Farms, which is now an operating, wholly-owned affiliate of Mastronardi. “Joining the Mastronardi team allows us to continue expanding our business to reach more customers while remaining committed to growing the freshest, best-tasting fruit possible and deepening our community relationships. We look forward to being a part of a market leader and making sure that customers continue to receive fresh and high-quality produce throughout every season.”
