Rico Farms opens biofactory for organic produce
Rico Farms has opened what it calls a biofactory at its Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, to manufacture products designed to boost farmland fertility.
The company, owned and operated by the Tapia family, grows organic vegetables that are marketed exclusively by Bridges Produce, Portland, Ore. The companies recently celebrated the grand opening of the facility.
“Rico Farms continues to push forward with radical innovations to improve soil and plant health, disease resistance and productivity,” Ben Johnson, president of Bridges Produce, said in a news release. “The results of the new biofactory will have tremendous results that will advance the productivity and profitability of organic growers while minimizing impact on the environment.”
The facility will make more than 100 products when in full production, and currently produces three products, two microbial inoculants and a fertilizer.
“We want to create a robust R&D team with university researchers and our biofactory team, so that we can develop new sustainable and organic materials for the overall industry,” owner Francisco Tapia said in the release.
The company manufactures Bio-Amino, a fertilizer with amino acids that can be used in drip irrigation systems. It’s been tested on organic zucchini and yellow squash, boosting yields 5-15%, according to the release. Bio-Amino will be used on all Rico Farms crops this spring.
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